The Bird Collection

Hawk with Prey

The Cost of Grace

I find hawks to be majestic, yet I understand that they're wild.

On this snowy afternoon, we watched as this Cooper’s Hawk swooped down with ruthless precision on an unsuspecting pigeon. While the hawk feasted on it's prey, I reached for my camera, then circled slowly, weaving between trees to avoid alarming the bird. Every step was deliberate. I wanted to record the savage mastery of the hawk without depriving it of its hard-won meal.

What I captured is a moment of raw survival — brutal, beautiful, and deeply honest. The snow forms a clean, silent stage, while feathers and blood speak the truths of winter. The hawk bows not in reverence, but in instinct — a creature forged by necessity, shaped by wild rhythm.

This image asks us to sit with discomfort, to witness nature not only in its splendor, but in its stark reality. It is a reminder that grace and violence often share the same wings.