The dry winter has lessened the number of rabbits and rodents around and more harrier hawks are turning to road-kill to survive.
Hawke's Bay Today photographer Paul Taylor was driving to a job near Waipatiki when he spotted a harrier hawk, a New Zealand native species, feasting on a road-killed rabbit in the middle of the road ahead.
"I slowed down and tooted at it to scare it away," Mr Taylor said. "But it ignored me and kept on eating, so I took the opportunity to get close and take some pictures."
A curious farmer, wondering what Mr Taylor was photographing, stopped for a chat.
"He said the hawks are very hungry at the moment and that's probably why it let me get so close before flying off," Mr Taylor said.
Hastings woman Pam Turner has a Department of Conservation (DoC) permit to rescue and rehabilitate native birds. She agrees with the farmer, saying although winter is traditionally a hard time for the hawks, this year being so dry has lessened the number of rabbits and rodents around, making it even harder for them to find prey.
"Harrier hawks are scroungers," she said. "They will eat what they can get, be that road-kill or someone's chickens, a sick animal or a dead lamb, or a frog or a rabbit. They won't attack a live sheep and they aren't vicious, but they will defend themselves out of fear if they feel threatened."
This makes them a risk for people who try to rescue them, says Mrs Turner, who works in co-operation with the DoC.
"Hawks feeding on road-kill are often hit by cars. Their long, lever-like claws clench onto their prey when they try to fly away. This can slow a hawk's lift-off and put it at risk. If drivers slow down and give the hawk a chance to relax its grip, it will be able to fly off safely."
Unfortunately Mrs Turner has cared for many hawks that have been injured by vehicles and left "grovelling injured on the roadside, often for days". "These are beautiful native birds. They need their eyes, beak, claws and wings to be in perfect condition to allow them to survive in the wild. "
Mrs Turner has simple advice to people who enjoy seeing harrier hawks in the wild and want to keep them safe.
"If you see one on the road in front of you, slow down and give it time to fly to safety.
"You can go one step further and remove any road-kill to the side of the road where hawks can eat it in peace ... all it takes is to put your hand inside a plastic bag and use it to drag the rabbit or possum off the road."
If you see an injured native bird, contact DoC on 834 3111.