Red-tailed Hawk and Intestines - Manuel Stevos Photography

A wispy fog creeps onshore, diffusing the late afternoon sun and converting the lush coastal prairie into a misty pastel green. A red-tailed hawk stands on a fence post looking stoically into the subdued sun. The lifeless body of a vole lies trapped between one of the bird’s talons and the rough wooden ridges of a fence post. The limited visibility shields the hawk from the wider world, creating a sense of serenity. A serenity needed to execute the next task.

It is unclear exactly why red-tailed hawks remove intestines prior to eating. Common sense would tell us that consuming the digestive tract of any animal is probably a great way to ingest a host of dangerous bacteria and viruses. What is clear is that the raptor’s bill, made for tearing flesh, is not the ideal instrument to remove a sensitive organ full of pathogens without rupturing said organ and bathing the intended meal with bacteria. That makes what comes next the hardest part of the job.

Red-tailed hawk standing on a fence post spits out a large portion of fur from a vole — Red-tailed hawk removes fur from a vole

The hawk grabs ahold of the small intestine and tugs gently, then more firmly. The head bobs up and down and then disappears into the exposed body of the vole. Finally, with one decisive tug, the hawk’s head jerks back, revealing the intentions of its labor. The small intestine, a reddish-brown string of shocking length, hangs from the bird’s bill. There is no blood nor any flying bodily fluids. A clean extraction performed with precision.

Red-tailed hawk, standing on a fence post with a dismembered vole by its feet and spitting out the small intestines which are falling to the ground — Red-tailed hawk discards small intestines from a vole before eating

The bird tosses the intestine to the ground with a seeming sense of disgust and returns to the vole to extract the large intestine. The vole’s body shakes and distends with every movement of the bird’s invasive bill. Lifting its head from the vole’s abdomen, the hawk reveals the severed large intestine, a short string with components much bigger than expected given the size of the vole. Upon closer inspection, one can see the intact membrane covering the intestine, wrinkled and transparent, like that of a sausage casing. Once again, there is no damage, no blood, no drama. This is the work of a surgeon, not that of a butcher.

Red-tailed hawk standing on a fence post spits out the large intestine that was removed from a vole — Red-tailed hawk discards the large intestine

The bird drops the entire string to the ground, which joins the small intestine to provide a buffet for another animal. With the job complete, the interrupted serenity returns, and the hawk can begin feeding.