Yesterday I documented the prenuptial flight of the male Red-tailed Hawk that I photographed two days ago in northern Utah. Today that story is continued with their mating.
All photos are presented in the order they were taken.
This is the last photo in yesterday’s post. It’s a little confusing because it suggests that the male flew directly to the female and mounted her for mating. That’s not quite what happened.
Instead he veered off slightly to his left at the last second and landed on the side of the cliff very close to her on the spot that I’ve marked with the red arrow.
But he only stayed there for a couple of seconds (for good reason, notice her solicitation posture.) I didn’t even have time to recompose to include both birds without cutting off any body parts before he…
attempted to land on her back for mating purposes.
But his approach was from the wrong direction for matching up “plumbing parts” for mating so he had to attempt to turn around on her back, which he did clumsily. Here his right foot is clawing at the top of her head as he tries to complete a 180 on her back.
She was very patient with him.
Eight frames in the burst later he’d finally made some progress but then he made the mistake of…
placing his left foot too far forward on her back which meant his center of gravity was now in front of her center of gravity so he almost…
slipped off of the front of her back.
Then it appeared to me that he tried to grasp her neck feathers in his beak in an attempt to keep from falling off.
- Caveat: I’m not positive that’s what he was doing. Some male birds, certain ducks for example, typically hold on to the female’s neck feathers during mating as a matter of course. But I don’t remember ever seeing any male raptor do that during mating.
Soon after this shot was taken the female turned more toward the cliff face so I couldn’t see their faces well. As a result I haven’t included any more photos of the mating. But after an inordinate amount of struggling and fumbling they did get it done.
After mating has been accomplished male red-tails typically make their getaway almost immediately. I had hopes of getting takeoff and flight shots when he launched but he took off in the very last direction I expected him to.
Almost straight up so I barely kept him in frame.
Because of his completely unexpected takeoff angle I was lucky to keep any of him in focus and in frame in any of the photos I took as he approached his next landing spot, which was about 30′ above him and slightly to our right.
I hadn’t even considered the possibility that he’d head straight for the top of the cliff at such a steep angle and so far above him. After completing the mating I guess the typical male in him was still feeling his oats.
Even at such a difficult approach angle…
he still nailed the landing.
And then he rested on his laurels at the top of the cliff.
In this posture and at this light and body angle his reds are much more subdued, to the point that he almost looks like a different bird. But I assure you, they’re one and the same.
Ron
PS – Sorry folks, I didn’t have time to include individualized image techs for each photo. Most of them were taken in the range of 1/3200-1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender.
Haha. He nailed one landing but not the other! 😉
In the course of monitoring Osprey nests here in Rhode Island I frequently see young birds make clumsy attempts at copulation. As they get older things improve.
Oh how absolutely beautiful! Thank you, Ron…..be well!
Thanks very much, Karen.
I feel a bit voyeurish (and if that isn’t a word it should be) but this was a most excellent start to my day.
I hope that very clumsy mating was successful. And loved the colours. And the series.
Thanks, EC. Yup, I had a bit of the voyeur guilts while I was watching them through my lens. They didn’t seem to mind though and they obviously knew I was there.
Beautiful series. they are such a classic redtail colored couple for Utah. There are many variations in coloring in redtails but I am partial to the red/orange and warm browns.
I prefer the warmer colors in them too, April. Thank you.
Is this the raptor version of rolling off and going to sleep? Won’t he stay for a little cuddle afterwards? 😜
These are quite the shots, Ron. The light, the colors, the DOD — you nailed it (and much more accurately than Mr. Hawk did too!).
Thanks, Marty. I don’t think this male has any clue about the joys of going off to sleep immediately after sex. Cuddle, schmuddle…
As I’ve noted before, the whole dating/mating process for hawks/birds looks really difficult to me, but wings certainly help a lot! (Have I mentioned that I WANT wings? LOL!) To me, her facial expressions looked a little on the exasperated side. Perhaps he’s a young male and she an older female? Just a wild a$$ed guess, not even a little bit scientific. 😉
But what glorious images…yes, I know you have about a zillion nits to pick, and the good news is that’ll keep you busy and off the streets for the rest of the day, but I LOVE ’em! Yes, I’m easy. What of it? LOL!!
I wondered about an age/experience difference between them too, Laura. Thank you.
Good point on possible age/experience different between them……
I want wings too – though mating isn’t the first (or second) use for them which springs to mind.
Yeah, but that third implied use does suggest something… 🙂
Further down the list than that. Quite a bit further. I can however think of a few people I would like to fly over and crap on.
You made me LOL for quite awhile. Quite a creative thought EC
GEEZ! Quite the clumsy drama! I GUESS she was patient with him!! He certainly gave you a run for your money trying to keep up with the sequence… 😉 If I didn’t know the size of the telephoto you were using I would think you were about to get a face full of hawk when he took off! 🙂 Hope the female wasn’t injured in the fray……..
A run for my money indeed, Judy! Everything was happening for fast I had no choice but to run on instincts and hope for the best.
Nope, the female seemed fine after the encounter.
This is a remarkable set of photos. The mating process for birds and especially these larger raptors is truly amazing to begin with. That vertical photo of him lifting off toward the top of that cliff is beautiful. The colors are beautiful. Outstanding series.
Thanks, Everett. I actually got two photos like that of him lifting off after mating but I didn’t like one of them.
What a fun and refreshing story! Really great photos…it would be a fun picture book story! I’d get one for my brother, he would love it. Thanks for a morning smile, Ron!
Thanks for the encouragement, Mary – but a book sounds like way too much work!