Braodwings Dropping From the Sky

[Alfred Maley]

Over the last week, while sitting on the deck, I’ve noticed what appeared to be softball-sized objects falling from the sky into the woods behind the house. When I heard a young Broad-winged Hawk then give a food-begging call I knew what the objects were - a parent making a food delivery. After the delivery I’ve seen the parent fly away through the woods. This has happened three times.

Whether the parents use this method to deliver dragonflies or all sorts of prey items is unclear. It may simply be a covert way of food delivery that looks like a hawk stooping on a rodent, a way to do so without attracting attention.

Al Maley

Hampstead, NH