Participant Photo: Sharpy slays a Starling snack

We were fortunate to spot this pair right after the Sharp-Shinned Hawk had apparently nabbed the Starling on or under our bird feeders. The life-and-death drama unfurled about eight feet away from the feeders and right in front of our window. The Starling made a valiant effort to escape the grip of the Sharpy for about 3 minutes; however, it finally tired and the Sharpy began plucking feathers from the breast and making the fatal blows with its beak. The feast lasted for at least another 5 minutes, at which time the Sharpy laboriously took off with prey in talons, struggling to lift the Starling which was a third of its size) and narrowly missing our window as it did so.