Comment on Thesis - Red-tailed Hawk by windfalcon

These thesis pieces are beautiful. I almost begrudgingly love this one. I have a beautiful mated pair that have actively stalked my chickens for 2 years now. (I have a feeling that it has to do with desperation as more cats seem to be moving into the territory and taking out the ground squirrels, and maybe because my chickens aren't a "farm large" variety, because I'm well aware of how odd it is and don't actually want to make it sound like I'm maligning them.) If it weren't for the fact that I love one of my chickens especially dearly, (because she trusts me more than I could ever imagine a chicken (or animal? she listens better than a dog) trusting anything once it's no longer a chick,) it would be not just an awe-inspiring circumstance, but a welcome one to see them like this. I wish I could let the hens roam the full yard without having to worry... but, anyway, I am in awe at how intelligent this red-tail pair is. The male is usually the most aggressive hunter, but they often work together and, almost every time they come at us together, they're trying a new technique. (Much like you picture wolves hunting in a pack would.) They scream and dive, they hide and come from different directions in different ways, and, bwahahahaha, the female even tried crapping on me once. Talk about personality! There have been numerous times the male has flown directly at my face, only to swoosh up at the last minute. It's just awesome; I'm talking about them veering at only 10 feet from me. Man they're beautiful.  And even though I know they're supposed to be territorial, when they get into aerial battles with the crows, they've often let out a scream which calls in a 3rd red-tail. Then they work together to move the crows out. They're amazing. I'm convinced that over the past 3 weeks the crows have started protecting the hens. Not only do they just show up to chase them away: On, maybe... what is it.. 4? occasions now, a crow has come directly between one of the hawks and the chickens. Like suicide diving in front of an already diving hawk to keep them from striking. It's pretty wild!