We saw this Red-Tailed Hawk hiking to the Lighthouse. A Ranger was notified. When we went back out it was gone. The rangers could not find it. So it was probably stunned or had a catch under it they said. It looked okay.
Birds will sometimes sit like that to sunbathe. There are two theories as to why they do it. One is, to make the natural oils on the skin and feathers more fluid and easier to spread while preening. Another idea is that skin and feather parasites, actually get too warm, and let go and start to move somewhere cooler and become easier to remove. I have got similar photographs of many other different species doing it, but this is the largest bird I have seen doing it.
