Alder stepped out of the crate more willingly this morning and for a brief moment sat calmly on my glove. During our first walk the ducks at the pond made noise and she immediately looked that way instead of focusing on me, which shows she is starting to trust me. She sits on her perch with relaxed wings and closed mouth now, but has been slightly aggressive today. She tried to fly directly at me from her perch a couple times, and also charged at me on foot. I didn’t react, so she didn’t get what she wanted. Hopefully that means she won’t keep trying to be mean to get what she wants.
Kris came by today and we put on Alder’s permanent anklets! They look so pretty, and fit much better than the temporary ones. Alder seems more comfortable in them.
While Alder was sitting on her perch, I offered her a piece of rabbit liver. She has not eaten anything since being captured. She ignored the rabbit liver, but then jumped to my glove and sat there. She never did eat the tidbit of food. That really wasn’t the outcome I was expecting, but she has no fear of the glove which is awesome.
Regarding your interpretation of ‘aggressive’ behavior, I likely would have a different interpretation. A new hawk will sometime bate of its perch in any direction. For instance, when I worked with Tala, Suzy DesIlet’s female HH in Jan, once or twice she bated towards me in our family room and landed on my lap or legs.
I have never know a wild Red-tail to show unprovoked aggression as you interpreted what happened but then again, you could be correct but it would be first in my experience.
Richard FH
The reason I believe it was not just bating in my general direction is that she started it with a direct look at me and posturing in what looked like an aggressive stance before lunging directly at me. Followed up by her charging at me on foot, and footing my boots repeatedly while staring up at my face, I interpreted her behavior as aggression and not that I was simply in her way.