Hawk! And tailless squirrel!

A short while ago I went into the loft and all the birds were very hushed and subdued. I knew something must have spooked them, but didn't know what. I was mixing seed when suddenly I heard a thump. Actually, it sounded like something hit the window screen. I looked out and up, and saw a large hawk perched on a rod that juts out from the top of my loft. The loft being under a deck, and the rod is attached to the deck. I ran in the house for my camera, but as I turned the corner to try and get his picture, he took off. Looked like a sharp shinned from the couple of seconds glimpse I could get. Not sure whether he was after my pigeons or the song birds in the yard. But as I looked around, I say a poor little squirrel scampering away that had had it's tail ripped off. Tried to get a decent pic, but the sun was wrong, and all the branches in the way. This is the best shot I could get. Now I know they need their tail for balance when jumping through the tree tops, and for wrapping around them for warmth. And for signaling to others. Can he survive without the tail? I felt so bad for him. The poor thing. Only a stub left. OUCH! Could the hawk have done this, or would it be something else. It wasn't healed up, so don't think it was done very long ago.

Poor little Squirrel. He probably survived the Hawk and maybe because you startled the Hawk.
I don't know how he will do without the tail. Was he bleeding a lot?

Oh I see...it doesn't look like he was bleeding. Do you have Squirrel boxes in the trees?

Poor little squirrel! I hope he makes it. If he knows what's good for him, he'll come to where he'll be helped.

Sorry to hear about the squirrel. Bless his little heart.
He sure is a cutie.

I hope he stays safe!

The only squirrel boxes I have are the bird boxes that they decided to take over, and chewed the entrance hole bigger to accommodate them. I was thinking of putting more up just for them, but hadn't gotten around to it yet. I feel bad for him. I'll keep an eye out to see if I see him around. I seem to think that we did have one with only a stub tail around a while back, but haven't seen him for a while. HootOwl remembers seeing him too. This poor thing won't have his tail to wrap in to stay warm. Going to have to build those boxes and get them up. At least that keeps them out of the wind and weather.

Matilda wrote:

Poor little Squirrel. He probably survived the Hawk and maybe because you startled the Hawk.
I don't know how he will do without the tail. Was he bleeding a lot?

Up close, you could see some what looked like dry blood on the end of the tail. They're out here every day eating the pigeon feed that the feral pigeons haven't been coming for because of the winter hawks. We get them all year, but worse in the winter the last couple of years. I think he was after my birds, as it sounded like he hit the screen while I was in the loft. My poor birds were so scared. They knew just by instinct that he was dangerous.

We're sitting here trying to remember, and we now remember that the tailless one of a couple of years ago was a mom, and had a baby. And it looked like her tail had been gone a while, as it was all healed up and all. But the tail does give them balance in the trees, and when they jump, and it is used to wrap themselves in to stay warm. Too bad.

Have you seen the squirrel today?

Poor thing, I'm just imagining losing a body part without being able to go to the hospital.
I think she'll be ok though, as long as it isn't bleeding. Wild animals are pretty good at living through injuries like that. Near my house we have a possum that's missing a foot, a goose that's missing a leg and a starling that's missing a leg and an eye.

Luna Wolf wrote:

Poor thing, I'm just imagining losing a body part without being able to go to the hospital.
I think she'll be ok though, as long as it isn't bleeding. Wild animals are pretty good at living through injuries like that. Near my house we have a possum that's missing a foot, a goose that's missing a leg and a starling that's missing a leg and an eye.

I know...that is troubling to me too.

If it looks like the tail has been gone for a while she must be doing OK. It's still sad though!!
No animal deserves to go through such a tramatic event like that.

Oh no, poor squirrelly! Well, fortunate not to have been hawk lunch - but still ...
Here's hoping that s/he will be okay and that the awesome ability of a body to heal will take over and be the case here.

Jay, if it's any comfort, we've had one around without a tail for a couple of years who's made it thru the winters without freezing.

Best wishes,

Carol...I appreciate knowing aboput your tailless Squirrel.

Joyfulsongtree wrote:

Oh no, poor squirrelly! Well, fortunate not to have been hawk lunch - but still ...
Here's hoping that s/he will be okay and that the awesome ability of a body to heal will take over and be the case here.

Jay, if it's any comfort, we've had one around without a tail for a couple of years who's made it thru the winters without freezing.

Best wishes,

That's great that he is doing well, Carol.