This comes from reader Peter Green of Providence Raptors, who also sent a note:
Did you know Red-Tailed Hawks mate for life? Here’s an obviously bonded pair I photographed in Providence last year.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Valentine #2
February 14, 2014 • 7:48 am
awesome.
Your surmise is probably wrong. The male is the smaller one.
?
What surmise?
Sure many birds “mate for life” meaning as long as their partner is still around. As soon as they are widowed they are immediately out looking for a new mate. We had 2 color banded cardinals in our backyard. Within 10′ of the female encountering our window (it was fatal) her “mate for life” was soliciting other females. Such is “life”.
The family that preys together, stays together.
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Cute couple!
b&
And I’ve been seeing them hanging out together like this since January, here. Almost drove off the road the other day trying to get a good look at a shoulder-to-shoulder pair on a pole the other day.
Love the shot, Peter!