Hawks(鹰) and other raptors(猛禽) are impressive predators, and many of these species are adapted for fast, quiet flight to help them attack their prey(猎物). After all, raptors make their living by flying down to take small animals off the ground. While a hawk clearly couldn’t lift a full-grown dog, it might seem reasonable that raptors could lift a small dog, cat or possibly even a human child. Is that a reasonable concern, or just a flight of fancy?
There are urban legends about hawks stealing 12-pound pets, and some taking away kids, but these are based on wrong descriptions of how much weight these raptors can lift. Hawks and owls, for instance, can’t fly away with prey that outweighs them. And given the light weight of even big raptors like red-tailed hawks and great-horned owls —which average about 2 pounds and 3 pounds separately, — they’re unable to take away most adult dogs and cats, not to mention human children.
Some larger red-tailed hawks may be able to carry prey weighing 5 pounds,which could include not just puppies and kittens but also some adult cats and dogs from small kinds. Great-horned owls also focus on small mammals and birds, but they have the most diverse diet of any North American raptor, including larger animals like skunks, ducks and even other raptors. They don’t create a serious threat to pets overall, although they have been known to attack house cats and chickens left outside overnight.
While most pets and kids are probably safe from raptors, it still might be wise to take a few precautions, depending on the situation.
One of the most effective precautions is to watch over your pets when they’re outdoors, which is generally wise anyway, for their safety as well as that of your neighbors and local wildlife. Some pet owners try to drive raptors away, using reflective tape and so on. Some of these might work, at least for a while, but they can’t replace human supervision. If raptors fly down at your pet, an umbrella could help prevent off some species, while a flashlight can reportedly discourage owls after dark.
The presence of wild raptors suggests you live in a healthy ecosystem, and if you can bear to share space with them, there’s a good chance they’ll repay you for your tolerance. Instead of hunting pets, for example, many raptors are far more likely to hunt pests like rats.
【小题1】What does the author think of a hawk taking away a kid?| A．It’s just imagination. |
| B．It’s a reasonable statement. |
| C．It remains to be proven. |
| D．It may happen as to big raptors. |
| A．Some big hawks can lift up to 12 pounds. |
| B．Red-tailed hawks can carry cats and dogs, large and small. |
| C．Great-horned owls prefer to eat small animals rather than large ones. |
| D．Great-horned owls in general cannot lift more than 3 pounds. |
| A．Use reflective tape. |
| B．Use a flashlight at night. |
| C．Keep an eye on your pets as much as possible. |
| D．Keep your pets under the umbrella all the time. |
| A．they can scare away harmful animals |
| B．they may help you catch rats and other pests |
| C．it helps to keep the ecosystem in balance |
| D．it helps you understand the importance of tolerance |
| A．How to protect pets from raptors. |
| B．How raptors get their food. |
| C．What prey raptors usually feed on. |
| D．Whether raptors catch pets or kids. |
