Recently, I watched a Cooper’s hawk take off from a rural, gravel road, clutching a dead meadowlark in its talons.

An adult Cooper’s hawk might weigh 1 pound. An adult meadowlark probably tips the scale at 3 ounces.

To compare that to a human, a 200-pound person would have to lift almost 40 pounds, then run away. Extra points if you can fly.

Perhaps you are physically fit. Maybe you are the strongest at the gym, ran a marathon recently or reupped for advanced yoga classes. Isn’t it strange we do these activities to keep up our daily strength and stamina while some animals perform feat...