There’s good reason for the seemingly silly and odd behavior by young raptors around Michigan right now, experts say.
Juvenile raptors – like red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks and merlin – that hatched earlier this summer are now becoming independent of their parents, according to the Audubon Great Lakes. Like awkward teens, young raptors are figuring out their bodies, including how long they can fly and how to pounce on prey and how to use their talons.
You may notice some awkward walking, squawking and flapping around your neighborhood or while visiting the state’s parklands, the report said. This is all normal behavior for these youngsters.
A young hawk was recently spotted practicing its hunting skills by “ungracefully” attacking the head of a squirrel statue, the report said. The hawk then “looked around wildly” for onlookers before realizing the statue was not alive or edible.