by smurfman on Mon Jul 02, 2018 9:00 am
A rabbit isn't a squirrel in their fighting ability nor "tools" though I've found a fair number of squirrel parts in the pellets under the Great Horned owl nest out in the pasture. It probably takes some experience based skill for an owl or hawk to take something as feisty as a squirrel though the Owls did a decent job on rabbits and skunks when the Owls were nested out back.
I've watched a red tail hawk unsuccessfully go at it with a rooster pheasant and our rooster over the years. Circumstance, experience, and luck all probably have something to do with outcomes. The pheasant was on the ground crowing one spring, the hawk was a year or maybe two years old. The pheasant was full sized and full of testosterone and being on the ground did not put it at the disadvantage of flying. That hawk was left wobbling on the ground as the rooster felt safe enough to fly away. I doubt that hawk tried that again for a while.
The same happened with our rooster except he was somewhat shielded by a bush. The red tail had to come in with a last minute turn which upset its attack angle. The rooster met it head on and won the ground battle.
A hawk or owl fights at a disadvantage as an injury or enough damage to feathers can kill it through being unable to hunt effectively. The prey animal fights full out to get away as it is dead otherwise. The incentive is for the prey in such cases.