Talk:Harris's Hawk

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Requesting a photo of a team hunting in the wild or with prey

How many birds? I can certainly provide two, probably three in a photo. --Wesley R. Elsberry (talk) 11:51, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Contents 1 Stacking behavior 2 Apostrophe 3 Game Taken 4 Closeup Photo is NOT A HARRIS' HAWK!!!

[edit] Stacking behavior

I added the following to the main article:

In the United States desert southwest, Harris's hawks sometimes engage in a behavior called 'stacking'. Two or three birds may perch one atop the other. Researchers note that when this occurs, the more dominant bird is actually the one on the bottom of the stack. The social dynamics are that when a low-status bird is approached by a higher status bird, the low-status bird will abandon a perch. However, a higher status bird will retain its perch, and end up with one or two lower status birds atop it.

I have seen this behavior myself in the area around Hebbronville, TX. The researcher referred to is Dr. Jim Dawson, then of the University of Arizona at Tucson, who reported on this to a meeting of the California Hawking Club around 2002. --Wesley R. Elsberry 03:52, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Apostrophe

Shouldn't it be "Harris' Hawk"? Artrush 07:03, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Game Taken

This is OR, but my HHs have taken rabbits, jackrabbits, ground squirrels, tree squirrels, rats, mice, voles, English sparrow, ducks, a goose, quail, chukar, and pheasant. They tried to take muskrat, unsuccessfully. There are any number of other animals that a HH may try for that aren't going to be on any game list. They are pretty opportunistic. In south Texas, we saw a cast of about eight wild HHs feeding on a road-killed bobcat. --Wesley R. Elsberry (talk) 14:26, 7 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Closeup Photo is NOT A HARRIS' HAWK!!!

I noted in my comment with the removal of the photo that the picture is of a falcon, not a Harris' hawk. I would think that erroneously displaying a picture of some other species and calling it a Harris' hawk is a perfectly good reason to remove it. Heck, the picture could be of a daffodil; would it then be obvious that it needed to be removed?

Pictures of actual Harris' hawks --Wesley R. Elsberry (talk) 09:15, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

Thank you for your rudeness. Thank goodness I rarely meet such an unpleasant response. I simply misunderstood the meaning of your Edit Comment which was .....Rm falcon picture labeled as HH, add "juvenile" to picture description. In my ignorance I did not realise what you were telling me in that Edit Comment because to me falcons and hawks were not different birds (so I saw no special meaning in your use of the word "falcon"). Therefore I assumed the picture had to be removed because you thought the article did not need it. It would have been far clearer to say in the Edit Comment This is not a Harris Hawk, this a (whatever) then I would have understood the reason for removal, you would not have needed to write to me in such a nasty way and I could have used the pic on the appropriate article. - Adrian Pingstone (talk) 09:50, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

Pointing out ignorance can never be all that pleasant, I guess. Words do have meanings. Species can generally be differentiated. Experience in the field does make some opinions better than others. "falcon" and "hawk" are differentiated in falconry, even if not in common speech. Since the article should aspire to propagating knowledge and not ignorance, I don't see much point to beating around the bush. --Wesley R. Elsberry (talk) 10:16, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

I've re-removed the erroneous photo from the HH article. It would be nice if it didn't crop up again. As to what species it actually represents, it might be of a prairie falcon or some hybrid involving a prairie falcon. You might need a longwinger to comment, or contact the zoological park where the photo was taken and request their assistance. --Wesley R. Elsberry (talk) 10:21, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

"Pointing out ignorance can never be all that pleasant" Wow, you really are laying it on thick!! I am not a bird specialist so I made an error in interpreting your Edit Comment yet your reply, above, remains unpleasant and unfriendly. Having contributed to Wikipedia since January 2003 it is extremely rare to meet with other than courtesy and friendliness from another Wikipedian. There is obviously no possibility of putting it back, now that you have told me of my error. Matter closed - Adrian Pingstone (talk) 15:32, 2 March 2008 (UTC)