Tag Archives: Red-tailed Hawk

Several different species of hawks make their home in region

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • This captive red-shouldered hawk was rehabilitated after suffering an injury and now works in an educational program at Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina to teach the public about raptors, other birds, and various types of wildlife.

In recent weeks, I’ve enjoyed some observations of the region’s larger raptors, including red-tailed hawks and red-shouldered hawks.

Anyone who travels along the region’s Interstate Highway System has probably noticed hawks perched in trees or on utility lines adjacent to the roadway. The section of Interstate 26 that runs between Unicoi and Johnson City is often a productive area for keeping alert for raptors. The raptor I have most often observed along this stretch of road is the Red-tailed Hawk, although I have also observed Cooper’s Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and American Kestrel. In the time of spring and fall migration, it’s also possible to observe Broad-winged Hawks.

The Red-tailed Hawk is named for its prominent red tail. However, only adults show the characteristic red tail. The affinity for Red-tailed Hawks for roadsides is a double-edged sword. Viewing a large hawk from your car is an easy way to watch birds. For inexperienced or careless raptors, however, roadside living is often rife with the chance for a collision with a car or truck. The Red-tailed Hawk, which prefers open countryside, is attracted to the margins of roads and highways because these locations also attract their favorite prey, which includes rodents like rats, squirrels and mice and other small mammals such as rabbits.

Human behavior contributes to some of the problems that hawks encounter in the zone that brings them too close for comfort to motorized vehicles. When people toss trash from a car, the scent of the litter will lure curious and hungry rodents. In turn, hunting hawks are brought to the edges of roads in search of their preferred prey, increasing the likelihood of colliding with automobiles.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A calling red-shouldered hawk perched in a dead tree on Pawleys Island in South Carolina.

In recent days, I have also noticed a Red-shouldered Hawk lurking among the branches of the large weeping willow next to the fish pond. The Red-shoulder Hawk typically prefers wetland habitats and is less likely to haunt roadsides. According to a factsheet published by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, this raptor breeds in moist woodlands, riverine forests, the borders of swamps, open pine woods and similar habitats. Nesting almost always occurs near water, such as a swamp, river or pond.

The Red-shouldered Hawk produces a distinctive, piercing whistle that reminds me of the shrill call of a Killdeer. The visiting Red-shouldered Hawk has been silent so far, perhaps not wishing to draw attention. The few times the local crows have noticed the presence of any sort of raptor, they’ve flocked together to mob the unfortunate hawk. It’s also not the right time of year; during courtship and the subsequent nesting period, these hawks are vocal, but at other times of the year, they are rarely heard. It’s also possible to mistakenly think you have heard one of these large hawks. Blue Jays have apparently learned to imitate the “kee-yar” call of this hawk, often working a flawless rendition of the whistled notes of this large raptor.

In contrast to the related Red-tailed Hawk, the Red-shouldered Hawk soars less and prefers to perch hidden in the cover of trees. This hawk’s name comes from the reddish-brown shoulder patches in the bird’s wings. Adults show a tail marked with vivid bands of black and white that is quite distinctive. The Red-shouldered Hawk belongs to the same genus of raptors as its larger relative, the Red-tailed Hawk. The genus, buteo, includes about two dozen large raptors that are often the dominant avian predators in their respective habitats.

Early naturalist and artist John James Audubon painted this pair of red-shouldered hawk.

Some of the buteo species have adapted to life on islands, including the Galapagos Hawk and the Hawaiian Hawk. Some of these hawks have quite descriptive names, including the White-throated Hawk, Gray-lined Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk and Short-tailed Hawk. Outside the United States, raptors in the buteo genus are often known as “buzzards.” When the first European colonists came to the New World, they applied the term buzzard to both types of native vultures as well as the large raptors like Swainson’s Hawk and Broad-winged Hawk that reminded them of the ones back in Europe.

All too often, our large hawks don’t receive the love they deserve from the public. They may even run afoul of misinformed individuals who may regard all predatory birds as “bad.” The reality is that all hawks are valuable components of a healthy, working ecosystem, with each species filling a certain niche.

Hoping to invite many birds to my yard in 2015

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The first day of 2015 produced some excitement in the yard here on Simerly Creek Road. I was watching a female Northern Cardinal — the first cardinal I had observed in the new year — as she foraged on the ground beneath one of the feeders. I even used my camera to take a few photos of her through the window.

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Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                                         A female Northern Cardinal foraging on the ground beneath a feeder.

I was getting ready to snap another picture when an intruder violently inserted itself into the scene, scattering other birds at the feeders. Everything happened so quickly I needed an instant to figure out what was happening.

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Photo by Bryan Stevens                                  The visiting Sharp-shinned Hawk is pictured only seconds after capturing the cardinal in its talons.

A pair of spread wings eventually transformed into a full bird as my brain identified the intruder as an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk — and one that had just captured itself a meal, albeit at the expense of the cardinal.
With the cardinal secured in its talons, the hawk looked ready to consume its prey when an American Crow flew to a tree and perched overhead making its displeasure with the hawk very clear. The hawk hesitated and then took off, taking its prey with it and leaving with such velocity that it left the protesting crow far behind.

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Photo by Bryan Stevens                                  The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a stealthy, efficient and determined predator.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk became one of the first birds on a yard list I will be keeping in 2015. A couple of years ago I did a list of all the species of birds I observed in the five-county area of Northeast Tennessee. Such a list is fun to compile, but it takes a lot of dedication. I figure counting the birds that make an appearance in my yard from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 in 2015 is a more feasible goal.

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Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                      The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a small raptor, often described as similar in size to a dove.

In addition to the Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Cardinal and American Crow, the other birds I’ve already added to my 2015 yard list are Mourning Dove, Great Horned Owl, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, House Finch, Pine Siskin and American Goldfinch.

That’s more than 20 species and the year is not yet a week old. My goal is to find at least 100 species in 2015. The tally will probably proceed slowly, but I will provide regular updates as I add new species to the list.

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Photo Courtesy of Jean Potter          An immature Sharp-shinned Hawk perches on a limb. These raptors often ambush their prey.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk and its larger relative, the Cooper’s Hawk, are the two raptors most often encountered by people who feed birds. Part of the family of Accipiter hawks, these two species are widespread in woodlands.

The Cooper’s Hawk is larger, often described as similar in size to an American Crow. The Sharp-shinned, on the other hand, is usually described as the size of a dove. There’s some overlap in size, so it is not the only reliable means of identifying these hawks. For example, female Sharp-shinned Hawks are roughly equivalent in size to a male Cooper’s Hawk. As with many raptors, the female is larger than the male in both these species.

There are some other things to look for in telling these species apart. For instance, adult Sharp-shinned Hawks often look like they have a dark cap or hood. The eyes on a Sharp-shinned Hawk also look like they are halfway between the front and back of the head. In addition, the head itself looks small in comparison to the overall size of this hawk’s body.

These two species feed heavily on songbirds, which causes some bird-lovers distress. When I posted photos of the incident with the cardinal and hawk to my Facebook page, a few friends were definitely upset that the cardinal’s stay in 2015 proved so brief.
I like to view these incidents as good examples of proper balance in the natural world. The Sharp-shinned is really beautiful, especially for a hawk. Preying on songbirds doesn’t make them “bad” birds. They’re doing exactly what nature intends for them to do. They’re extremely efficient predators, and I was impressed by both the power and precision deployed by the Sharp-shinned Hawk in capturing the unfortunate cardinal.

In case you’re worried about the cardinal population, later that same day a flock of about a dozen cardinals visited my feeders about a half hour before dusk. Predatory hawks are part of the balance in nature. It’s a balance that we should strive not to upset.

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Photo Courtesy of Jean Potter                           A Red-tailed Hawk is shown standing in a field.

In the past few days, I have seen Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl and Cooper’s Hawk here at home (or within a few miles of my home) and I take that as a good sign. The absence of predators can be a sign that something’s wrong with the food chain. If the chain gets broken, everything (prey and predators) will suffer.

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The Accipiter genus of hawks includes about 50 species. In Northeast Tennessee, as well as across much of North America, the two common species are Sharp-shinned Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk. A third species, the Northern Goshawk, is a rare visitor to the region.

The Northern Goshawk is a large, powerful hawk, and it is also fiercely defensive of its nest. This hawk is known to attack other raptors, mammals and even humans that stray too close to its nesting site.

Goshawk is a term derived from “goose hawk,” referring to the ability of this bird when utilized in falconry to take down such large prey as geese.
Other Accipiter hawks around the world include Spot-tailed Sparrowhawk, Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk, Grey-headed Goshawk, Semi-collared Hawk and Tiny Hawk, which is one of the world’s smallest raptors. This diminutive hawk is about the size of a European Starling and lives in Central and South America.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk will feed on a variety of birds, ranging in size from sparrows, warblers and thrushes to birds as large as Ruffed Grouse and Mourning Dove. This hawk also feeds on small mammals, reptiles and insects.

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Photo by Bryan Stevens                                     A flock of American Crows mobs a perched Red-tailed Hawk.

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On Dec. 27, the resident flock of American Crows confronted a Red-tailed Hawk, eventually forcing the large raptor to leave it perch and depart the area. I’m hoping the Red-tailed Hawk will soon put in its first 2015 appearance. The first clue is usually a mob of angry and very vocal crows.

With safety in numbers, many smaller birds will gang up on raptors to drive them away. Crows can be quite merciless to both Red-tailed Hawks and any Great Horned Owls that they locate during the day.

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Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                                                                               Mobbing crows force a Red-tailed Hawk to take flight from a perch in a tall tree.

Kinglets are tiny in size, big in spirit

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A flock of American Crows provided some drama on Sunday, Nov. 23. The crows, perhaps with good reason, didn’t appreciate finding a Red-tailed Hawk in their airspace. The flock spent around 20 minutes directing an aerial bombardment against the hawk, which finally got the hint and moved out of the territory claimed by the crows.

CrowChase

Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                           An American Crow mobs a Red-tailed Hawk that intruded into its territory.

I posted on Facebook about the incident, which prompted a response from Rita Schuettler. “I rarely know that a hawk is around until the crows up here start raising a ruckus,” Rita wrote. “It is fun to watch them chase the hawk all the way down the valley and outa here!”

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Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                   This Gray Catbird, photographed on Nov. 23, represents a fairly late record of this species in Northeast Tennessee. Most catbirds migrate out of the region each fall to spend the winter farther south.

In addition to the fun observation with the hawk and crows, I discovered an unseasonably late Gray Catbird in my yard. I actually heard the catbird’s namesake cat-like scold vocalizations before I saw the bird. Catbirds are common birds in my yard from spring to fall, but they usually depart in early October. I thought that was the case this year, too, but then this straggler showed up. The catbird has put in some other appearance since its initial appearance on Saturday, Nov. 22.

In recent years, catbirds have been found on several of the Christmas Bird Count conducted in Northeast Tennessee, so it’s a distinct possibility that a few of these birds have taken to spending part of the winter here rather than flying south.

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With the recent cold weather, I’ve been seeing a few golden-crowned kinglets, as well as the closely related ruby-crowned kinglet, at my home.

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Photo Courtesy of Jean Potter                                      A Golden-crowned Kinglet is held securely during a bird-banding procedure. The crown of golden-yellow feather that gives the bird its name is clearly visible.

Both the golden-crowned and ruby-crowned kinglets are members of a family of tiny birds known collectively as kinglets and firecrests. They’re such tiny, energetic birds that they absolutely excel with the “cuteness” factor.

All kinglets are very tiny birds, as well as extremely active ones. They are also the only members of this family of birds found in North America. Four other species, however, are native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. The remaining species include goldcrest, common firecrest, Madeira firecrest and flamecrest, which is also known as the Taiwan firecrest.

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Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service                              Only the male Ruby-crowned Kinglet shows the small patch of red feathers atop the head that gives this bird its common name.

Kinglets, as their name suggests, are tiny birds. In fact, about the only North American birds smaller than kinglets are some of the hummingbirds. The kinglets belong to the family, Regulidae, and the genus, Regulus. The family and genus names are derived from a Latin word, regulus, which means “rex,” or “king.” The name was apparently inspired by the colorful crown patches, often red, orange or gold, that resemble the royal “crowns” of kings.

Although similar in size and overall coloration, the ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets are easily distinguished from each other. Side by side, the two species of North American kinglets are easy to identify. The golden-crowned kinglet has a striped facial pattern formed by bold black and white stripes. The ruby-crowned kinglet, on the other hand, has a bold white eye ring but no striping. The golden-crowned kinglet has an orange crown patch, while the ruby-crowned kinglet has a red crown patch that is, more often than not, kept concealed. Both sexes of the golden-crowned kinglet possess a yellow crown patch, but only the male ruby-crowned kinglet boasts a scarlet patch of feather atop the head.

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Photo Courtesy of Beth McPherson  This Golden-crowned Kinglet was in good hands as it recovered from striking a window.

Kinglets are active birds, foraging vigorously for small insects, and spiders. When foraging, both kinglet species have a habit of flicking their wings over the backs. Even if you can’t get a good look at the birds, this behavior helps contrast them from other small birds, including some warblers, wrens and the blue-gray gnatcatcher.

Golden-crowned kinglets are widespread in the region during the winter. During the summer months, head to the slopes of some of the region’s higher mountains to look for these tiny birds that nest at the higher elevations of the Southern Appalachians. Ruby-crowned kinglets can also be found in the region during the winter, but extreme cold weather will often force these less cold-hardy birds to eke out the winter months farther south.

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Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service  A Ruby-crowned Kinglet forages for insect prey in the branches of a small tree.

Kinglets don’t typically visit feeders, but they do tend to join mixed flocks with membership consisting of such species as tufted titmouse, Carolina chickadee and white-breasted nuthatch. When traveling with such flocks, kinglets may visit the space around feeders but rarely take seeds or other fare offered at feeders.

Kinglets are surprisingly tame at time and often exhibit as much curiosity about us as we display toward them. They’re very active birds, however, constantly moving from perch to perch. These bursts of hyperactivity can make them difficult to observe since they so rarely remain still. Although small in size, these birds more than compensate for it with a feisty spirit that does them well through the harsher weather of the winter months.