Are Hawks Becoming the New Urban Predators in Rio?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rach3
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the phenomenon of hawks attacking residents in Rio de Janeiro, particularly in the Ipanema beach district. Participants explore the implications of these attacks, the behavior of hawks in urban environments, and anecdotal experiences with hawks and other birds of prey.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant reports that a pair of hawks has attacked over 100 residents in Ipanema, leading to injuries and a heightened sense of caution among locals.
  • Another participant shares a personal observation of a hawk or owl in their area, speculating on its potential prey and identifying it as possibly a red-tailed hawk or great-horned owl.
  • A different participant expresses concern about the behavior of hawks, hoping that only the Brazilian hawks are exhibiting aggressive behavior.
  • One participant references Alfred Hitchcock, suggesting that the situation may escalate further, drawing a parallel to themes in the film "The Birds."

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the behavior of hawks in urban areas, with some expressing concern about the attacks in Rio while others share unrelated observations of hawks without indicating similar aggressive behavior.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes anecdotal evidence and personal experiences, which may not represent broader trends or scientific observations regarding hawk behavior in urban settings.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in urban wildlife behavior, birdwatching, or the ecological impacts of predators in city environments may find this discussion relevant.

Rach3
:eek:

Hawks attack more than 100 people in Rio


RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Residents of crime-plagued Rio de Janeiro have a new kind of predator to worry about — hawks. A pair of hawks have attacked more than 100 residents of the upscale Ipanema beach district over the past year, scratching peoples heads and faces, doormen working at buildings in the area said Monday.

"People leave the building carrying umbrellas to protect themselves from the attacks," said Luis Honorato, a doorman in a building near where the hawks have built a nest. "At first, they think that someone is throwing something, like a can, onto their heads from the floors above."
...
The O Globo newspaper reported that one woman lost part of her scalp to a hawk and another man mistook an attack for a stray bullet.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060918/ap_on_fe_st/brazil_hawk_attacks
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Biology news on Phys.org
http://6ix4our.com/media/gonzo.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I was looking out the kitchen window yesterday when a hawk or large owl took off from behind some trees on the left side of the property and flew quickly up into the trees on the right side. By the time I got out there it was gone. I think it may have had a rabbit (of which we have a lot these days).

It was most likely a red-tailed hawk (plenty in the area) or a great-horned owl. It move so fast I didn't get a good look at the head, but wing movement was more like an owl. I was also trying to see what it was carrying.
 
We have LOTS of hawks around here, so I hope only the Brazilian ones have gone berzerk. They are very large, powerful birds.
 
As per Hitchcock: This is just the beginning.