I agree. I live in the Texas Hill Country. While driving into town a few years ago, I observed a large Red Tail swoop down and scoop up a jackrabbit that was at least 4 times as long and many times his weight. He didn’t get far in the air but did manage to drag him into the ditch next to the road. There he dispatched him and began eat his catch. I think extreme hunger will cause them to behave in aberrant ways. They do what they have to do to survive.
Red Tails are known for their extraordinary hunting versatility and variety of prey.
They perform an interesting maneuver that generally isn’t seen in birds their size where they hover in place while trying to pick up the location of prey on the ground. Some other hawks do it, but they aren’t as big as red tails...usually the smaller raptors.