The Story Behind The Image; Triangulation

Harris Hawks triangulating and working together to find, herd and capture prey at the Arizona-Sonoma Desert Museum.
(click to enlarge) Nikon D70, 70-300mm f/4-5.6 VR lens @ 90mm; 1/1600th sec. @ f/10; ISO 200

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Back during my first visit (2006) to the Arizona-Sonoma Desert Museum just outside of Tucson, Arizona, I walked up as a naturalist was telling other visitors about hawks working together, triangulating to find, herd and capture prey.  He was directing our attention to three nearby Suguaro Cacti to point out the raptors perched on their tops and calling out to each other.

I normally don't think about birds working together as a team to capture prey, with maybe the exception of crows and ravens, but I'm sure there are other species as well.  I just found this little experience fascinating.

I couldn't remember which hawks these were but from the Arizona-Sonoma Desert Museum website I found this:

"Harris's are one of only two truly cooperative hunters in the raptor world. They will live in pairs in the tropical areas, or places where prey is abundant; in areas like the Sonoran desert where prey has a lot of good cover, they have been documented in groups as large as 9 birds. They will act like 'wolves of the air', taking turns harrying a rabbit or squirrel, chasing it out of cover towards other family members, etc." 

As well as this:

"The only hawk species known to hunt for prey cooperatively in family groups of 3-7 birds. These birds employ clever and diverse hunting strategies that are similar to wolf packs. Although the Harris's Hawk is found in the southern half of Arizona, southwest New Mexico, southern Texas, and all through Mexico and South America, cooperative hunting is only observed in the Sonoran Desert region of their range."

So, I'll make an assumption that these three raptors are Harris Hawks.  Here is an image I made at a later visit (2014) of a Harris hawk.

Harris Hawk on the glove. (click to enlarge)
Nikon D10, 24-120mm f/4 VR lens @ 120mm; 1/160th sec. @ f/8; ISO 200

If you are ever in the Tucson, Arizona area, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is more of an outdoor free-range naturally landscaped zoo more than what we think of as a museum.  There are several species of animals that roam free as well as some that are in natural-looking enclosures.  The Mexican Gray Wolf comes to mind.  Also, there is a netted outdoor aviary containing only hummingbirds.  Overall, the museum is a fascinating study or various wildlife with which we can come in close proximity.

As I study the wildlife and animal kingdom all around me, the more surprised and fascinated I become.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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