Breathtaking video of red-tailed hawk hovering while hunting wins hearts| Watch

A video of a red-tailed hawk hovering while gazing at its prey has gone viral on social media. Ramesh Pandey of the Indian Forest Service released the video on Twitter. The video he posted on Twitter was originally uploaded by American politician Bill Bryant on Instagram.

In the 19-second-video, a red-tailed hawk can be seen hovering with its gaze fixed on its prey. “A Red-tailed Hawk hovering while hunting. Don’t miss the steady head and the focused gaze. Great capture. #BirdsOfPrey #Hawkeye (sic)."

Several Instagram and Twitter users have reposted the footage. Here's the link to the video:

Bill Bryant shot the film in Golden, Colorado, and the film won a prize at the 2021 Audubon Photography Awards. He observed a pair of Red-tails take advantage of the strong early summer winds blowing down from the Rockies, floating in mid-air while scouring the foothills for mice and ground squirrels over many days.

The bird in the shot was almost parallel to his lens. His head remained motionless as his body moved, his wings and tail stabilising him and his dangling feet providing ballast, Bill explained. Due to the energy and flapping required for diving low enough to catch prey, Red-tailed Hawks prefer to hunt from higher perches. However, when the wind is strong enough, they can hang still in the air, barely moving their wings as they examine the earth below.

Netizens' reaction on Twitter

Twitter users were delighted to witness this breathtaking video. Some took to the comments section to talk about the brilliant capture. “Such keen eyesight. A very beautiful bird (sic),” a user wrote. “Nice capture video (sic),” another comment read.

"It's more steady than Camera gimbal," commented another user. Another user appreciated the shot by tweeting, "Amazing, looks like a drone."