Red-Tailed Hawk dines on Meadowlark

I don’t normally pay much attention to these raptors because they are quite common and generally I don’t find them particularly photogenic. However, because they are common, sometimes you can get them doing some pretty cool things.

Such was the case when I came across this one a couple of days ago. It was perched on a pole dining on what appeared to be a Western Meadowlark that it had caught.

I’ve seen Red-tails eat more terrestrial fare like prairie dogs, rabbits and snakes but this is the first time I have seen one eat another bird. After eating a bit and giving me a nasty stare, it decided it preferred someplace with more private dining accommodations and flew off.