Food chain! Gotta defend the hawk!
Love the photos and the commentary.
I once found a red-tailed hawk sitting on a tree stump, panting, and summoned a nearby naturalist, who took the hawk to a raptor rehabilitator. The hawk's keel was full of buckshot. He died in spite of efforts to save him. It was such a sad, sorry sight, our two collies at the time, Blaise and Bailey, made no attempt to accost him, this predatory bird on his pedestal.
I also summoned a DNR agent once to rescue a big horned owl from a conabear trap (never can spell con-a-bear right offhand). Never did hear if that one survived his leg in that trap... again, both collies were surprisingly calm and non-aggressive with this injured creature. But if a lively little quail gave away its presence, Blaise would eat it before I could shout "No!!!!!"
Go figure. Compassionate collies....? Don't animals go after the weak and old for dinner, not the young and healthy??