Alex has been the ideal baby for a few months now. Cuddling under my chin, laying his head in my hand. Today, I let my guard down and now have not one, not 2, but 3 very bloody painful bites. Heres what I think happened. He has been going on with the whole "in the sky....al-ex..in the sky!" Our resident hawk has taken a room in my yard basically. Alex sees it when I cant so I never know where it is until he lets me know. He goes into a flat posture with his head low. So anyway, today I took him out of his cage a little earlier than normal. I had already had Mr Buddy in the family room with John. Mr Buddy is usually always in the room when Alex comes out. SO I cuddle Alex and go to put him on the perch. First CHOMP, left ring finger, he is ATTACHED! I tried to not scream, I really did! But it felt like my finger was being amputated by a razor vice. So I put my right hand up to block my face since he was on my shoulder and tried to distract. He screeched, let go of my finger and now has the soft flesh on my right hand just under my pinky in his beak.I managed get to him off and on the perch. He made a few very high pitched low frequency squeals. I was now bleeding. So I walked away to defuse a bit. I went back in leaned down and said "whats the matter baby?" Another lunge followed but he missed. I walked out again. John put him back in his cage since we had to leave for an appointment. When we got home, John was the one to bring him back out. So I go visit Alex on the perch. He looked so sweet, crest back tight, chin up with that "I want a scritch" look. So I go for a very light touch to the crest, he gets my right thumb at the knuckle on both sides. Again, a big scream from me. I just cant help it, the scream takes a life of its own. I try to stifle it, I really do. I keep it in my throat as long as I can. A too bite, is not easy to take. Now John is yelling at me for screaming as blood is running down my hand and the bite is opening up. I decided Alex needed to be toweled and put back so thats what I did. He jumps in his cage, "in the sky.....in the sky..." So I go about cooking lunch for them and John spots the hawk in the tree in our yard. Looks like we made a positive ID this time as a Coopers Hawk. I had thought it might actually be a falcon for a while. Now I wonder. Did he bite me because the hawk was outside, or because I removed Buddy from the room? My thumb hurts....

Awwww Leigh! We are so sorry!!!!!!! Bless your heart. Those bites really hurt don't they!!! May you heal fast (neosporin) and remember he LOVES you.

Sorry to hear you got bit, I think he bit you to warn you of the danger you did not seem to be fleeing as you should. You should know when you see a hawk you must make the entire flock scatter to safety.

Oh, no. I'm so sorry your baby bit you. Well, it could be either "x" in the equation. The hawk is a definate threat to his flock and expects you to respond to his goosing you. And, one of his normal flock members was not in the room where he's supposed to be. And it could be the combination of the both. He saw that Mr. Buddy had the sense to not stick around with a hawk overhead, but you just weren't listening to him, so more encouragement was needed on his part.

I hope you heal up quickly, make sure to keep the wounds doctored, especially if very deep.

p.s. do you have windows that he can see the hawk through while he's in the family room? Is there any way to pull drapes?

Oh Leigh! I'm sorry to hear this, but I also read that sometimes they do bite as a warning of danger nearby. They bite each other out there in the wild, not to hurt but to warn. So flock leader, I do believe Alex was trying to tell you, "Watch out!"

I'm so sorry. Yes too bites are the worst. I hope it heals quickly. I think the hawk being around was a starter to the biting. Maybe warning you of danger.

I agree that they do bite to warn their flock - Lulu (tiel) will bite Dave or me if she's on us and Jerry lands on us. It's her warning to us that the blue monster has arrived.

Oh Leigh, ouch! I'm so sorry to hear about this! Its sounds like it was just one of those fluke thing... I'm so sorry about your bites!

And heres the bite!

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