Do red tailed hawks have a sense of smell? This one makes me wonder. One of the hawk’s go to spots to perch is on top of a wildlife refuge’s latrine chimney.
These were taken yesterday. It was sunny, but very windy and frigid. What do you think? Do hawks have a sense of smell?
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Some days when I was working full time and didn’t want to interact with co-workers in the afternoon, I would have lots of onion with my sandwich at lunch. Maybe this hawk has the same subtle sense of “stay away from me” thought while roosting over the latrine. Of course, if a bird eats road kill, does one think a latrine would smell worse?
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Ha! Considering hawks will eat dead animals, including skunk, am not not sure I believe they have a sense of smell. This hawk literally went from a post close to the parking lot to a latrine chimney in the parking lot. It had many acres to avoid people. This one is a diva.
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Very nice photography and description.
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Thanks! This hawk makes it easy!
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Gorgeous bird and capture!
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It is gorgeous! Sunny clear skies make for great pictures, but I don’t get too many opportunities to go out on those kind of days.
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Lovely details in the photos You aimed it well. Wow.
… and yes, I’m pretty sure they can smell. And they know what smell they like. There’s no accounting for taste 🤷🏻♀️ thanks for sharing 👏
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It doesn’t explain catching skunks though. I don’t know how they get passed the smell. Usually it’s roadkill, but even roadkill skunks have sprayed. I know online some sites think they have some sense of it.
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I have no idea and don’t want to ask Google, but my first thought would be no, especially as they have such good eyesight – maybe a sense of smell isn’t important?
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I don’t even know how anyone can answer that for sure. I know he sits on fence posts in the fields to look for ground movement. I did see him fly from a pole to the ground. He probably caught a vile because he was in the tall grass on the ground for a while. He also flies over the girls scanning and drops to catch things on the ground.
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I think every bird must have a sense of smell. It helps to judge if the food is good or not eatable. Your capture is marvellous!
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However hawks eat skunk. I can’t get past that. 😁I’m sure you are right though.
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Gorgeous bird and capture
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Yes , it is beautiful! I was lucky to be able to go on a gorgeous day!
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Warmer air may have been coming out of the chimney, due to microbial activity down below. I don’t know, though–just a guess.
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He really does not care where he hangs out. 😂Being close to people does not bother him at all.
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Well captured!
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Thanks! This one is fine being around people and the clear skies helped.
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Not sure about smell tolerance for birds in general. Toilet lids are always up in these outhouses and therefore the stink never escapes through the exhaust pipe as intended. So, the feathers of this hawk are spared from absorbing sewer odors. 😃
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Ha! He has got to smell a skunk when they get it, hasn’t he?
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Good point. Wonder if hawks have learned to not mess with a skunk.
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I think they do.
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I don’t know how they get past skunk though 😁.
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Yes, raptors in general have a good sense of smell. Why a latrine should attract it is another story. Could it just be a good vantage point for viewing possible prey?
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Another short field on that ride of the parking lot. They have bird houses in the field and fence posts also for vantage points.
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I have no idea but that is a great pic. 😊
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