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American Kestrel
Formerly called the Sparrow hawk, kestrels are some of the most beautifully
decorated North American falcons, with a mustached black-and-white facial
pattern. They are the only small hawk with a rust-colored back and tail.
Kestrels are about the size of a jay; males have blue gray wings, while the
wings of females are more brownish. |
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Barred Owl
It is the distinct bar pattern across the chest and streaked lengthwise on the
belly that gives both the male and female barred owl its name. Along with their
distinct gray facial discs, barred owls have big brown eyes (they are one of the
few owls without yellow eyes). Barred owls live in woodlands and wooded swamps.
They often nest in tree cavities, using the abandoned nests of hawks or crows. |
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Broad-Winged Hawk
The Broad-winged hawk has white underwings with dark borders. Its tail has broad
black and white bands, with the last white band broader than the others. Its
call, heard mainly on breeding grounds, is a thin, thrill, slightly descending
whistle: pee-teee. Broadwings often migrate in very large flocks. |
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Eastern Screech Owl
The eastern screech owl, with its yellow eyes and pale bill, is the smallest owl
with feather tufts in the eastern United States. They are common in a wide
variety of habitats: woodlots, swamps, forests, orchards, parks, suburban
gardens and have been seen flying around streetlights in suburban areas catching
insects. |
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Great Horned Owl
The great-horned owl is considered the fiercest and most aggressive owl of North
America, and they are second overall in size only to the Snowy Owl. They have
very distinctive ear tufts and are a combination of dark and buffy brown with a
white throat and upper chest. |
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Peregrine Falcon
Long wings, streamlined bodies and small heads make peregrine falcons swift
fliers. When they plunge earthward after prey -- a maneuver called a "stoop" --
they can reach speeds up to 200 miles per hour, making them one of the world's
faster fliers. Baffles in their nostrils enable peregrines to breathe during
their near vertical dives. |
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Red Tailed Hawk
Red-tailed hawks are the largest of the North American buteos, and on any given
day you can see these hawks rising and soaring on the thermal air currents.Red-tailed
hawks frequent woodlands and open country with scattered trees. Their nests are
often built in the crotch of large trees with commanding views and should be
carefully avoided, as incubating hawks are very easily disturbed. |
