This is a response to Scott Pendleton’s Great-horned Owl/Red-tailed Hawk Death Match.
 
During the night of 6-7 May 1967 at Whitefish Point, Michigan, I was to retrieve mist-netted owls.  I quote my notes: “At sunset a Sharp-shinned Hawk had been snared with a [balchatri] trap; a Broad-winged Hawk preyed upon the Sharp-shinned Hawk.  [When I came upon this situation, a third raptor had become involved.]  At dusk I discovered that a Broad-winged Hawk and a Long-eared Owl were seizing each other by the breasts.  [Their talons were deeply embedded.]  The Broad-winged Owl died coughing blood; the Long-eared Owl died by morning.”
 
Alan Ryff, Saint Clair Shores, Michigan
 
Subject: GH Owl/RT Hawk death Match- Harrison
From: Scott Pendleton <tallyp2001 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:18:10 -0500

While looking at SE Owls, a coyote trapper told us of finding a dead owl and hawk that had killed each other. After looking at the scene, this appears to be the case. When first found several days ago, there was a distinct area of disturbance around the birds. Both birds had feathers in their beaks and the hawk had obvious talon wounds on its leg and chest. Our working theory is the owl tried to take the hawk off its night roost (there was a pine very near the birds) and both birds were killed in the battle! 

Any other observations out there to collaborate or deny this theory?

Scott Pendleton

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