#Raptors of north America

[wingedjewels]

Kestrel by Kip Hutchison Via Flickr: Perched very high in a Pine Tree.

[herpsandbirds]

A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), family Tyrannidae, order Passeriformes, attempts to drive away a Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus cheriway), family Falconidae, order Falconiformes, South TX, USA

photograph by Wayne Williams

[ostdrossel]

The other day, I heard Blue Jays scream for a while, and this must have been te reason. A young Cooper's hawk was visiting the pond. I think Cooper's because of the size, the thickness of the legs and the rounded tail tips. A beautiful bird, that left hungry.

[snototter]

A turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) spreading its wings in Cuyamaca Mountains, California

by Robyn Waayers

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: Red-tailed Hawk

Photo: Kent Ross

"This is the most widespread and familiar large hawk in North America, bulky and broad-winged, designed for effortless soaring. An inhabitant of open country, it is commonly seen perched on roadside poles or sailing over fields and woods. Although adults usually can be recognized by the trademark reddish-brown tail, the rest of their plumage can be quite variable, especially west of the Mississippi: Western Red-tails can range from blackish to rufous-brown to nearly white."

- Audubon Field Guide

[swede1952]

My Kingdom.

This hawk was in an oak tree outside my backyard fence this morning. I tried taking a photo through the storm door because it was raining. But some leaves were covering the head of the hawk, so I made a hasty waterproof cover for my camera and went out into the rain to get some photos. I think that this is a Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) based on its size, but it could be a sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus). I'm basically guessing between the two they look so much alike.

Among the bird world’s most skillful fliers, Cooper’s Hawks are common woodland hawks that tear through cluttered tree canopies in high-speed pursuit of other birds. … With their smaller lookalike, the Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawks make for famously tricky identifications. Both species are sometimes unwanted guests at bird feeders, looking for an easy meal (but not one of sunflower seeds).

@birdcounter

[terry-the-insane]

Animal of the Day for November 8: Terror Bird (Phorusrhacidae)

While mammals took over after dinosaurs died out, this was not completely the case. In South America, the Terror Birds were among the dominant predators, along with giant crocodilians, notosuchians and snakes, some of which are still alive today.

A common myth is that the Terror Birds went extinct due to competition with placental mammals during the Great American interchange (an event when the Americas became connected by a land bridge, causing ecological chaos), but Terror Birds managed to coexist just fine with the likes of canids and big cats. Instead, the Terror Birds may have failed to endure the ice age.

[pelagodes]

young sharp-shinned hawk from a few months back, it was chilly!

[bumblebeeappletree]

Golden eagles are one of the largest raptors in North America, and their numbers are declining due to an unlikely poison: lead ammunition left behind by game hunters. Eagles scavenge on animal remains contaminated by lead bullets, so conservationists are proposing a radical solution: getting hunters to go lead-free.

When hunters use lead ammunition, their bullets can fragment into hundreds of tiny pieces upon impact. These fragments are then left behind in gut pits that scavengers like golden eagles, California condors, and bald eagles feed on. Over time, the lead weakens their bones and interrupts nerve function, causing the eagles to lose coordination, become paralyzed, or eventually die.

That’s where Sporting Lead-Free comes in. Their mission: build a grassroots movement to educate hunters about lead-free alternatives like copper bullets, bringing the community back to their roots as conservationists. Through ballistics demonstrations, x-ray scans, and global ambassadors, this is an issue where every individual truly can choose to make a difference.

[kaelula-sungwis]

Great Horned Owl by Dave Wong

[tilbugs]

Turkey Vultures!

these big, beautiful raptors are one of my favorite birds. many people don’t like them very much, but they are vital members of the ecosystem. also I think they’re very cute.

[wingedjewels]

America Bald Eagle (Juvenile ) by Kip Hutchison Via Flickr: Something caught this Eagles attention in the Water.

[herpsandbirds]

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), male, family Falconidae, order Falconiformes, found over a great deal of North America and South America

photograph by Steve Rose (@stevenrosephotography)

[ostdrossel]

It is always funny to me how seemingly stunned they look to find nobody at the scene yet hearing all the scolding from the trees. At first I thought this one would take a bath, but nope. It has been very dry here, so maybe it will come back. Such a beautiful bird.

[snototter]

A California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) perches at Big Sur, California, USA

by Tim Melling

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: Elf Owl

Photo: Greg Lasley

"Regions near the Mexican border are home to this gnome, the tiniest owl in the world, no bigger than a sparrow. On moonlit nights in late spring, its yapping and chuckling calls (surprisingly loud for the size of the bird) echo among the groves of giant cactus and through the lower canyons. The Elf Owl feeds almost entirely on insects and other invertebrates, which become harder to find in cold weather, so it migrates south into Mexico for the winter."

- Audubon Field Guide