As a large airliner lumbers along low in the sky over City Birds Country, the Heart of San Francisco, preparing to land; undisturbed, a Sharp-shinned Hawk hovers above, selecting a House Finch on which to dine -- in much the same manner as a human at the meat counter.

The finches are diving for cover in the thick foliage below.  Sometimes the hawks succeed in catching one of the finches.  Most of the time they don't.

This illustration was first published April 19, 2005 by City Birds.