HARRIS' HAWK: Grabbing dinner is often a prickly proposition for the Harris' hawk, which hunts for prey in thorn-forest habitats where others of its kind fear to tread. A Harris' hawk won't hesitate to dive into a thicket of prickly mesquite, agarito or acacia shrubs to flush out a meal, usually a rodent or bird of some kind. It's surprisingly successful on its own — given the fact that hawks aren't built for flying through dense forests of sharp, woody spines — but the Harris' hawk never turns down a little help from its friends. Or make that, its family members. Unique among birds of prey, the Harris' hawk is a pack hunter. When a family of hawks spots a potential meal, one member will plunge into the brush to drive the animal from its hiding place while the others try to capture it in the open. They often hunt from the air, but prefer "perch hunting," launching their attacks from tall cacti or telephone poles. If there aren't enough perches in a given area, the birds will stand on each other's backs, a behavior called "stacking."