I just watched a hawk steal a baby bird from the nest; the parents were ballistic.?

Question

Do they recover from the trauma fast? Do they grieve? I think I am slightly traumatized myself.

Answer 1

thats how life works... get over it..

Answer 2

Yes, parents recover pretty fast.  If they lose the whole clutch of babies, they will try again.  I'm afraid the hawk will come back for the rest, but I don't know what to do about it.

Prey birds typically mob predators, often in groups, attacking and harassing them, to drive them away or distract them from the chicks.  I bet the neighbor birds are all up in arms about this.

But, you know, the hawk has to feed its babies too....

Answer 3

I am so sorry that there are such insensitive idiots out there saying some of the things that I read, I would feel the same exact way you do,and I know that if I'm feeding my tiels babies,daddy and mom both start squawking and sometimes actually follow me in the kitchen to see what I am doing with their babies.I don't like what goes on in nature, whether that's the way of life or not,I can't eat watch the animal channel if a lion is taking down another animal for survival so I totally identify with you,and I'm sorry you had to see that,but as long as the mom has other babies,hopefully she will focus ON them and I'm sure the hawk won't get away with that again. take care.

Answer 4

they're birds.. not well known for their smarts..

I'm sure they greive in their own way and get over it relatively fast, this is probably not the first baby they've lost to a predator, and likely won't be the last.. it's just nature :)

Answer 5

Aww'e. Poor baby...

Yeah, the Momma and Papa will heal, it's part of life, and Hawks do that, they prey on anything that moves and is easy to get to.

I hope you're okay though, strange question, but interesting.

Answer 6

they will probably 'grieve' for a while, but then they will move on, if they have other babys they will more likely forget about it sooner.