No. Just, No.

[nightdog_barks]

I can only hope Nick R. of Hawkforce was pulling the reporter's leg when he said this:

“The natural predator of these hawks is prairie dogs, which is why they don’t like them," he said. "They would not try to carry them off.”

Because otherwise I'd say he doesn't know a damn thing about hawks and probably shouldn't be handling one.

Prairie dogs, small cuddly herbivores.
Harris hawk ... not.

From the Telegraph: Harris hawks, used to control pigeons in Central London, have been attacking small dogs.

Comments

[topaz_eyes]

AHAHAHAHAHA someone can't tell his predator from his prey.

Amazing how Jack Russell terriers and miniature dachshunds are about the same size as... prairie dogs.

[silverjackal]

Heh. At first I thought that the quote was just the wrong way about, i.e. The natural prey of these hawks is prairie dogs... but then I read the full article, and the fellow's just loony. Harris' are collective hunters, and will sometimes target prey larger than themselves. They'd certainly take a run at small dogs or cats as potential prey items. And their major predators are Common Ravens, Coyotes, Great Horned Owls, and other bird eating birds of prey. Prairie dogs indeed! How, pray tell?

[taiga13]

Is it April Fool's Day??? I'm no bird expert but even I saw the error there.
Though the mental image of a prairie dog leaping into the air to take down a passing hawk is mildly amusing.

[takes_a_fairy]

CNN Special News Bulletin:
A gang of predatory prairie dogs cited in the razing of Farmer Russels carrot garden, are now suspects in the senseless killing of their rival gang of hawks. No one else is under investigation at this time. Heh!