Strange Eye
p.1 #1Strange Eye
I have photographed a lot of hawks over the years , but have never come across a situation like yesterday. I was able to get pretty close to a Red-tail Hawk sitting on a wooden fence watching a large compost pile that usually has a lot of rodents . I took a number of images and was surprised to look and see that it had a very large object covering it's right eye. It looked like a large growth of some kind. Two frames later the eye was clear, and a few frames later the covering over the eye appeared again. I sent the photos into a wildlife centre for review and they had never seen this before. It looked like fine feathers completely covering the eye, then it was gone. Has anyone come across this before or have an idea what it is. Other wise the hawk seemed healthy and unperterbed.
regards
Dave
regards
Dave
Canon EOS R1 EF400mm f/4 DO IS II USM +1.4x III lens 560mm f/5.6 1/2000s 12800 ISO 0.0 EV
Canon EOS R1 EF400mm f/4 DO IS II USM +1.4x III lens 560mm f/5.6 1/2000s 12800 ISO 0.0 EV
Canon EOS R1 EF400mm f/4 DO IS II USM +1.4x III lens 560mm f/5.6 1/2000s 12800 ISO 0.0 EV
Nov 11, 2026 at 07:39 PM
p.1 #2Strange Eye
Perfectly normal: Since the eyelids of birds aren’t used in blinking we don’t get to see them very often.
In birds the eye is lubricated by the translucent nictitating membrane, sometimes called the third eyelid, that sweeps horizontally across the eye so their true eyelids usually remain open and unseen. When they’re sleeping the lower eyelid rises to cover the eye in most birds, with the exception of the horned owls whose upper eyelid is lowered.
Usually, when they’re performing activities that could potentially injure their eye, it’s their nictitating membrane that is temporarily closed but they’re capable of raising their lower eyelid instead. When...Show more →
See here: https://featheredphotography.com/blog/2021/07/22/the-true-eyelids-of-a-swainsons-hawk/
Tony
In birds the eye is lubricated by the translucent nictitating membrane, sometimes called the third eyelid, that sweeps horizontally across the eye so their true eyelids usually remain open and unseen. When they’re sleeping the lower eyelid rises to cover the eye in most birds, with the exception of the horned owls whose upper eyelid is lowered.
Usually, when they’re performing activities that could potentially injure their eye, it’s their nictitating membrane that is temporarily closed but they’re capable of raising their lower eyelid instead. When...Show more →
See here: https://featheredphotography.com/blog/2021/07/22/the-true-eyelids-of-a-swainsons-hawk/
Tony
Nov 11, 2026 at 11:26 PM
p.1 #3Strange Eye
Tony thanks so much for the lesson much appreciated. I was well aware of the nictitating membrane in hawks in hawks and owls, as well as the eye lid in owls closing from above but I have never seen the eyelid of a hawk raised from below before. Much appreciated I don’t have to worry about this guy.
Dave
Dave
Nov 12, 2026 at 06:52 AM