Good Golly, It's Ollie!

An Avery Madden Crazy Criters Exclusive

When you hear the word “raptor,” do you think of a small, toothy dinosaur? Well, those raptors have been extinct for about, oh, 80 million years or so, but plenty of raptors are still making a squawk today! Yup, many of today’s predatory birds are called raptors, too. But don’t fly to conclusions—while a lot of scientists think modern-day birds are descended from dinosaurs, the only definite connection between Cretaceous raptors and modern raptors is their ferocious name. It comes from a Latin word that means “to seize,” because both the dino raptors and the bird raptors are seriously fierce hunters! Today we’ll be talking to a very special member of this meat-loving bunch: my friend Ollie the Red-tailed Hawk.

Avery Madden: So Ollie. Do you feel at all nervous about your upcoming release into the wild?

Ollie Hawk: Puh-lease! I was born to be wild. We hawks are old-school like that. Even if we’ve gotten used to falconry, we can revert to a semi-wild state with only a little help from our human friends. I’m definitely ready to get out there and make it on my own—as a free agent.

AM: Wait a minute. I thought you were a Red-tailed Hawk! What exactly is this falcon stuff?

OH: Well, falcons and hawks are both raptors, but it’s true—they’re not exactly the same. And falconry isn’t just about falcons. It’s actually the practice of training any bird of prey to hunt or pursue game.

AM: Cooool. So birds can be trained to hunt food for people? That’s generous of you guys.

OH: Whoa, there’s been a misunderstanding. I expect to be paid for my services. I may be a bird, but I’m still an entrepreneur.

AM: Of course.

OH: Once I catch game, I don’t just bring it back to the falconer. I play hard to get. The falconer will trade my fresh game for a piece of ready-to-eat meat. I have a serious weakness for fast food.

AM: Whatever floats your feathers, Ollie. Hey, speaking of feathers, I noticed your tail doesn’t have the famous Red-tailed Hawk rusty red color. What’s up with that?

OH: Simple. Adults’ tails are rusty red, and I’m not fully grown yet. Look into my eyes if you don’t believe me.

AM: That’s OK … I believe you.

OH: No seriously. See the yellow in the irises of my eyes? That means I’m still not completely mature yet.

AM: So I take it there’s no special someone in your life right now?

OH: Actually, I’ve just gotten on the singles scene. We hawks usually wait to date until after we shed our baby feathers—you know, to make sure we’re looking our snazziest. When my red tail feathers finish coming in, I’ll definitely be ready for love!

AM: And when you do settle down…?

OH: I just want the same as any other red-blooded species: a tree in a nice neighborhood, three eggs, and a cozy nest.

AM: Flap happy, Ollie!