Blood on my Balcony (lots of it in a trail - starts where my squirrel usually sits)

[Rocky1]

I'm in shock and am not sure what can be done. There's a trail of blood on my balcony and I'm worried. I guess all I can do is look around and put some food out. I will look both for the injured squirrel (in all likelihood) and for the predator. I don't know what more I can do, but am posting this just in case there is something I haven't thought of.

[TubeDriver]

:(

[Nancy in New York]

:hug:hug:hug

[Daisey007]

OH NOOOO!

What a horrible thing to find! Please keep us posted. Sending prayers your way!:Love_Icon

[Rocky1]

Pictures of trail. Pictures should be either in order or reverse orders. Trail starts out light and becomes bloodier and bloodier until there's a pool of blood at the edge of my balcony. Then about 3 feet of the side of my balcony about there are two drops of blood and the trail ends. IF this was a hawk, how far do they usually carry their pray? Or is the lack of a blood trail indicative that the pray wasn't carried off?

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[Rocky1]

Here are the 2 drops off the side of the balcony and the balcony view from the ground.

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[Rocky1]

My conclusion is that the pray never left the balcony or the blood trail would continue right?

I looked in everyone's backyard on the block in the direction the drops point to (going off the balcony) and found nothing. I guess it's back to the balcony, although I search there twice. My balcony door was open, but no blood in my apartment either. Maybe the pray was eaten? But no hair, bones, etc. Is that too little blood for that conclusion? Maybe the pray is hiding out inside of my balcony (See picture of "hollow" balcony floor.).

Here's the last in the trail besides the 2 drops on the ground "off the side of the balcony." Accidentally left it out. This is the "pool of blood" I was referring to.

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[Rocky1]

Could the seeming "end of trail" just be because the hawk flew super fast, making the drops of blood further apart? I'm not finding anymore drops though... Trying to figure this out.

Where the heck do hawks usually land? Where won't they land?

[Daisey007]

I don't know if there's a pattern to what hawks do as far as travel distance before consuming their prey but I have witnessed 'it' happening twice, and it wasn't so much how far it went but where was the first most comfortable place for the hawk to perch to consume it. I've found remains on top of my squirrel enclosure (the wild squirrels come to feed at the enclosure). I found remains 40-50 feet away from squirrel enclosure. I witnessed a hawk grab a squirrel on a limb and he sat there and consumed it. I'd be calling for the squirrel because he could just be injured from something else.

:grouphug

[Daisey007]

Could the seeming "end of trail" just be because the hawk flew super fast, making the drops of blood further apart? I'm not finding anymore drops though... Trying to figure this out.

Where the heck do hawks usually land? Where won't they land?

They land on horizontal limbs! OR decks.

BTW... sometimes the remains aren't easily recognized. Mainly skin, limbs, tail and head. Look closely around the deck. There's a lot of blood on the deck.

[Rocky1]

They land on horizontal limbs! OR decks.

BTW... sometimes the remains aren't easily recognized. Mainly skin, limbs, tail and head. Look closely around the deck. There's a lot of blood on the deck.

Right now, I should check the next door neighbor's yards and above them, right? Because your point of looking closely at the deck was for remains, not a live hawk still eating an injured, yet alive squirrel?

How long does it usually take for a hawk to finish eating a squirrel? (I don't mean for the squirrel to die, I mean for the meal to be completed. This will help me decide how long to look.)

[Daisey007]

Right now, I should check the next door neighbor's yards and above them, right? Because your point of looking closely at the deck was for remains, not a live hawk still eating an injured, yet alive squirrel?

How long does it usually take for a hawk to finish eating a squirrel? (I don't mean for the squirrel to die, I mean for the meal to be completed. This will help me decide how long to look.)

I'm not sure but I'd think easily within 30 minutes. The brightness of the blood looks VERY recent. The kill is almost immediate (sorry).

[Daisey007]

But it doesn't necessarily have to be your squirrel. It could have took something up there to eat, and your squirrel saw it and is still hiding from it.

[Rocky1]

But it doesn't necessarily have to be your squirrel. It could have took something up there to eat, and your squirrel saw it and is still hiding from it.

What else could it be? A bird? I don't think birds have that much blood. Nothing else really goes up there. Let me know if you think it wasn't a squirrel. I suspect that it was a squirrel, but have no previous experience to base this on. A cat got a bird of mine before and no blood whatsoever that I could find, only feathers.

[Daisey007]

What else could it be? A bird? I don't think birds have that much blood. Nothing else really goes up there. Let me know if you think it wasn't a squirrel. I suspect that it was a squirrel, but have no previous experience to base this on. A cat got a bird of mine before and no blood whatsoever that I could find, only feathers.

Well, I don't know... but I've seen a hawk pick up a squirrel from the road (recent road kill) and fly up on top of a light poll with it. So, I was thinking that perhaps the same could have happened in this case. May have been a squirrel but maybe not your squirrel.

Still no sign of your squirrel?

[Rocky1]

Well, I don't know... but I've seen a hawk pick up a squirrel from the road (recent road kill) and fly up on top of a light poll with it. So, I was thinking that perhaps the same could have happened in this case. May have been a squirrel but maybe not your squirrel.

Still no sign of your squirrel?

Found no remains either. I guess I will just see who shows up for the next few days and how they look when they arrive. I'll keep my camera handy in case there's an injured one in the bunch.

You've been very helpful, and I appreciate that more than you may ever know.

[Rocky1]

I'm still in disbelief that one of my squirrels just got eaten right under my nose. How did I not hear this? That's a real question, if anyone knows the answer. If I can figure this out, maybe I can do better next time - and save the poor thing.

[MyBushyTail]

Maybe the squirrel is just injured? What I have observed here in the past is that the Red Hailed Hawk will make the kill then fly off far away with the squirrel in its talons - I always assumed they were going to their nesting area to eat it? I have never found any remains from a Red Tailed Hawk kill, only find remains from raccoon kills and a few times when I have seen the Red Tailed Hawk eat a squirrel here the Red Tailed Hawk ate the entire squirrel - bones etc etc.

[Rocky1]

Maybe the squirrel is just injured? What I have observed here in the past is that the Red Hailed Hawk will make the kill then fly off far away with the squirrel in its talons - I always assumed they were going to their nesting area to eat it? I have never found any remains from a Red Tailed Hawk kill, only find remains from raccoon kills and a few times when I have seen the Red Tailed Hawk eat a squirrel here the Red Tailed Hawk ate the entire squirrel - bones etc etc.

With that much blood, you think it could just be injured (realistically, not just trying to make me feel better)? The point about it not being killed instantly but leaving a huge trail that indicates a struggle is interesting.

[MyBushyTail]

With that much blood, you think it could just be injured (realistically, not just trying to make me feel better)? The point about it not being killed instantly but leaving a huge trail that indicates a struggle is interesting.

Yes that is a lot of blood but I had one squirrel who was seriously injured and the amount of blood he lost was significant. He left trails of blood when he would walk. Unfortunately as soon as I noticed how bad he was a Red Tailed Hawk swooped down and took him right in front of me. This squirrel was injured badly and I believe it happened a day or so prior to me first seeing him as I could see some of his gashes were starting to scab. I do wish for you that no squirrels were killed or are seriously injured. Reason I think injury is the trail of blood kind of made me think that came from the squirrel coming or going.

[Rocky1]

Can anyone recognize any footprints or sign of which animals/birds were involved in the trail of blood? I am still trying to figure out what happened. I guess it could have been a raccoon as the drops of blood away from the balcony could have splashed out there, rather than dripping off of a flying hawk. Knowing what happened will help me to either prevent this or make this less likely to happen here again. I can install safety features once I have a more accurate perception of what occurred. I looked carefully at all blood stains and cannot find signs of footprints in them, but am also inexperienced with what a raccoon or hawk print would look like.

[Daisey007]

Can anyone recognize any footprints or sign of which animals/birds were involved in the trail of blood? I am still trying to figure out what happened. I guess it could have been a raccoon as the drops of blood away from the balcony could have splashed out there, rather than dripping off of a flying hawk. Knowing what happened will help me to either prevent this or make this less likely to happen here again. I can install safety features once I have a more accurate perception of what occurred. I looked carefully at all blood stains and cannot find signs of footprints in them, but am also inexperienced with what a raccoon or hawk print would look like.

I am certain that the remains I find/found are from a Red Tailed Hawk. I'm sure it has happen but I can't imagine a raccoon catching, let alone killing and eating, a full grown healthy squirrel. And I don't think the blood would be dripping from the hawk, it would be dripping from the squirrel. I also don't think we can accurately speculate what happened on your deck that caused the blood shed, let alone what did it to who. That being said, I have watched a hawk eat a number of times, and they usually hold the prey with one or both feet and tear the flesh away with it's bill and then drop the remains. There is very little left.

I hope everyone shows up in the morning. I would suggest that you not feed the squirrels on the top railing of the deck. That puts them right up in the perfect fly-by-and-grab zone. Instead, feed them on the floor of the deck kind of tucked up under or next to lower horizontal sections of the railing. This provides a bit of protection from the fly-by snatch and go zone.

[Rocky1]

I am certain that the remains I find/found are from a Red Tailed Hawk. I'm sure it has happen but I can't imagine a raccoon catching, let alone killing and eating, a full grown healthy squirrel. And I don't think the blood would be dripping from the hawk, it would be dripping from the squirrel. I also don't think we can accurately speculate what happened on your deck that caused the blood shed, let alone what did it to who. That being said, I have watched a hawk eat a number of times, and they usually hold the prey with one or both feet and tear the flesh away with it's bill and then drop the remains. There is very little left.

I hope everyone shows up in the morning. I would suggest that you not feed the squirrels on the top railing of the deck. That puts them right up in the perfect fly-by-and-grab zone. Instead, feed them on the floor of the deck kind of tucked up under or next to lower horizontal sections of the railing. This provides a bit of protection from the fly-by snatch and go zone.

The squirrels perch on the sides of the balcony rail. I don't put food there. They perch there anyway.

I am still interested in looking for clues. I am of the mindset that if you get enough puzzle pieces, the puzzle can be solved. So right now I am collecting pieces to either solve this puzzle or to learn about hawk and raccoon attacks in general. I am still amazed that I didn't hear anything. You think the squirrel could have been quiet during this attack? Why do you say that you don't think the blood dripped from talons? I am trying to understand.

I appreciate your responding and wish more people would.

[Daisey007]

The squirrels perch on the sides of the balcony rail. I don't put food there. They perch there anyway.

I am still interested in looking for clues. I am of the mindset that if you get enough puzzle pieces, the puzzle can be solved. So right now I am collecting pieces to either solve this puzzle or to learn about hawk and raccoon attacks in general. I am still amazed that I didn't hear anything. You think the squirrel could have been quiet during this attack? Why do you say that you don't think the blood dripped from talons? I am trying to understand.

I appreciate your responding and wish more people would.

The whole thing is very sad. You'll just have to figure it out... hawk, raccoon or whatever.

Best of luck to you.

[island rehabber]

The big picture here is: when we feed wildlife in open areas -- a balcony, a back yard, a deck -- we also make it easy for predators. There is always a flip side to every good thing and this is the flip side to your generosity to your squirrels. Hawks, especially red-tails who are squirrels' #1 bird predator, are extremely lazy and love finding a nice open place with a hot buffet. :pissed

[Rocky1]

The big picture here is: when we feed wildlife in open areas -- a balcony, a back yard, a deck -- we also make it easy for predators. There is always a flip side to every good thing and this is the flip side to your generosity to your squirrels. Hawks, especially red-tails who are squirrels' #1 bird predator, are extremely lazy and love finding a nice open place with a hot buffet. :pissed

Just want to be clear THERE WAS NOT A CROWD ON MY BALCONY. THERE WAS NO FOOD OUT AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK. I've lived here for 3 years, and this is the first and only time I ever found blood on my balcony. The trail of blood starts next to the entrance of Buddy's old balcony nest that I recently blocked off with a one-way door. Squirrel was probably running from a predator and tried to escape to that protective nest which was unavailable. Then the trail of blood gets thicker and ends in a dripping pool. I started a separate thread in the Off Topic section to re-evaluate whether or not to keep that nest blocked off. Per this incident, the nest could have been a life saver.