Sionnach wrote:
Well, for one thing, it doesn't sound like these particular hawks are 100%
wild.

Heard the Falconer on NPR yesterday. These Hawks are trained to drive
away the overly aggressive NYC pigeons from Bryant Park. The handlers
walk on foot to patrol the park, while the hawks fly from tree to tree,
along the route taken by the people - it is a very controlled situation.
Galen, the hawk that went after the Chi is also a known ratter - he's
caught rats in the bushes on previous occasions. The Chi was on leash,
and rooting around in the shrubs when the Hawk mistook it to be a rat.
As soon as the mistake was realized, he was asked to let go of the Chi,
which he did, and the Chi was pronounced to have a few scratches, but
otherwise unharmed by the vets. Clear case of mistaken identity - maybe
the Hawks should be taught to only focus their efforts on pigeons, and
nothing else.

Suja