Sad sight today...a mortally wounded baby hawk

[midnight armadillo]

I spotted a dying baby hawk (no feathers for flying, just the fluffy ones) next to the office parking lot today. There's a pair of red tailed hawks that next in the pine trees behind the building - occasionally we spy them feasting on squirrels on top of the telephone poles. Anyway, the baby hawk had a large wound in its back, like it had been bitten or otherwise attacked by a predator of some kind. Do hawks reject their young? I know this happens from time to time in the animal world (including people, sadly). The hawk appeared barely alive, a short time when I was back outside it was no longer breathing. Poor thing. Mother Nature can be cruel.

[Suich]

1. Could have been attacked by another bird...

might have happened when the chick was alone in the nest.

:shrug:

[csziggy]

2. If there are more baby hawks than can be generously fed

Sometime siblings will attack the smallest one and push it out of the nest.