Kira WAS on leash, and a short (6’) one at that. She jammed her head into a bush running along a sidewalk and came out with a bird. Happened dramatically fast in both cases.
That was also the case with the ground squirrel, whose hole was under a bush.
(Addendum: Kira showed no interest in small birds when they were on the ground and flitting about. But a moving critter hidden in a bush triggered some kind of “GET IT!” response. OTOH she once found a medium sized dead bird and ate it, whole, while looking at me with a triumphant expression.)
