Hawk Tries to Attack Cockatoo at the Zoo

[jenseits]

You hear about this kind of thing, but rarely does it get captured on video like this:
Untamed and Uncut: Hawk Divebombs Zookeeper : Video : Animal Planet

In this clip, you see a (trained) hawk, who escaped from his holding pen during a bird show, divebomb a cockatoo and her handler. If the zookeeper hadn't had the reflexes she did, or had lost her grip on the 'too for a second, that parrot would've been lunch. You can see the hawk clawing at her back while she basically wraps herself around the cockatoo to keep the hawk away. You can't blame the hawk for having a strong prey drive, but I hope the 'too got the rest of the day off to calm down. Could you imagine what could have happened... in front of all those kids?! Oy.

Really gets the andrenaline going even just watching the video.

[hollyhawkz]

And..... that is why I am paranoid to take ours outside. We live in an area that has sooo many hawks. At any given time we can see one to three flying around in the sky above us, and that's the ones we can see. I'm sure I would feel different if I didn't see them all the time.

[magdalena]

That gave me the heebie jeebies, yikes!

[diljaa]

Wow, that's crazy! A bit dramatic video but still...

[chapala]

Shows us just how fast a hawk attack can happen, and how it can come out of the blue with no warning (she got a warning screech and noticed the spectators looking up). Otherwise, that 'Too likely would have been hurt.

[Lori~D]

All I can say is WOW. seriously.....Wow!

[WhiteRaven]

That's amazing, the cockatoo is very lucky. What she said at the end I remember reading about in Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot: often a bird that even previously hated you will become your best friend if it believes you have saved it.

I know of someone who had his parrot stolen (but was dropped in his backyard when the theif panicked) and the dog got to it. His dad was the one who picked up the quaker (still alive) and brought it inside. Previously, the quaker didn't really get along with the dad but since then he loves him!

[Chief]

^Well, that thief should go to a state where there are a plethora of wild quakers flying around. (Not that I think this thief is a good person let alone good enough to be a bird owner)



That was outrageous!
I don't like it when people leave small dogs outside alone. I mean a hawk could easily hook them! I had this one friend when I was a child who kept her bunnies in this cage OUTSIDE 24/7..but she only had them for the summer. Nope..no hawk..but some evil, jealous, rotten girl that lived down the street let them out on purpose. Cats can be devoured by hawks, too! I don't know..so many hawks here I wouldn't chance it.


At least one thing good came out of this..actually two..birds are both safe and the bird and owner's increased bonding.

[Ashling]

I'm wondering why her immediate protective hug of her 'Too made me tear up. What a reaction!

[Chief]

Originally Posted by Ashling

I'm wondering why her immediate protective hug of her 'Too made me tear up. What a reaction!

Yeah, that made me tear up too! I don't know..I heard the 'too squawking and it being so scared and then the zookeeper protecting it with passion(?) (if that's the right word to describe it). I guess we just put ourselves in the zookeepers position and the 'too represented our bird(s) that could have been eaten.