Backyard Birding - Red-tailed hawk

I was going through my pictures a few weeks ago, reminiscing on my recent adventures and trying to figure out what I wanted to share with you all and I realized the vast majority of my photos are of birds!! Haha Not even surprising I know ;) So I'm back to share more of my backyard birding adventures and hopefully get you intrigued about all those strange creatures that fill up the skies and make a mess on your freshly washed car.

If you're hyper-curious like me you might have noticed a lot of large soaring birds in the sky lately. Maybe it looked something like this...?

If you're not the type to actively look for birds or have never witnessed one of these aerial displays, I encourage you to pay extra attention to the sky over the next few weeks as these are typical courtship dances exhibited by North America's most common raptor.

The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

 Before getting into wildlife rehabilitation I had absolutely no idea that these birds of prey were common place in my own town and throughout most of the United States. Raptor is a name given to hawks but it is a term that includes falcons, kites. eagles, vultures and owls and there are at least 30 species of raptors that reside in California at some point during their lifetime! A few years have passed since I was first introduced to Red-tailed hawks and learned to appreciate them for their strength and........superiority complex haha no joke! Hawks (and raptors in general) have this way of posturing while you restrain them, that says "I'm not afraid of you! Please give me a reason to prove it, I dare you!" hahah I love it! And that attitude is part of what makes them successful birds of prey.

Now that I'm back in school I can only appreciate them from afar and unfortunately you can't always spot these wide ranging hawks from your backyard lounge chair so the boyfriend and I took a nice leisurely hike through Border Field State Park in San Diego, CA to hopefully get some intimate shots of these amazing predators.

Trevor and I have been steadily improving our bird identification skills and I've been helping him learn the hawks and falcons we see quite often around San Diego. So here are a few tips and tricks to help you beginning birders and hopefully the more experienced birders will get a good refresher and learn a couple new things too. 

The easiest way to identify the Red-tailed hawk is by their characteristic red tail feathers! 

Photo cred: Trevor Adler

Especially easy to spot while they are in flight.

Photo cred: Trevor Adler

Plumage varies greatly with this hawk species and can cause some confusion with other raptors. Sometimes their tail feathers aren't very red but more of a washed out pink depending where the hawk resides. The red tail is an indication that the bird is an adult so the juveniles actually have dark banded tails. There are light, rufous (red) and dark morphs and depending on what region of North America the hawk resides in there are variations within these morphs. Age is another factor in plumage and if the hawk is going through a seasonal molt you might see some interesting variations in feather color and length. (All good things to keep in mind with bird watching)

Photo Cred: Donald Metzner, Dec 2007

Rufous adult 

Photo Cred: Christine Haines, Feb 2007

Dark morph adult 

Photo cred: animals.nationalgeographic.com

All of this variation aside, there are a quite a few indicators, other than the red tail, that what you're seeing is indeed a Red-tailed hawk. 

1.) Size: The large females weigh in at about 3+ lbs with a wingspan of roughly 4 ft. Many people will misidentify these hawks as eagles at first sight because they look that massive in the sky but if you're any where near a city you can almost guarantee it is a Red-tail. 

           (Bald Eagles weigh in around 8lbs and have a wingspan of about 6.5 ft. so once you see an eagle you will most likely not make that mistake again)

Photo cred: Trevor Adler

 

2.) Pale Chest and Belly bands: Unless you spot one of the rufous or dark morphs you'll be able to identify a Red-tailed hawk by the white chest from quite a distance. This plumage varies from bird to bird. Many will sport a dark band across the belly while others can be completely white. Juvenile hawks usually have darker chests and tend to be harder to identify in general, especially if you're just starting out or are not familiar with similar hawk species.

Photo cred: Trevor Adler

 
Photo cred: Trevor Adler

3.) Dark bars: If you spot a hawk soaring above you or can't quite see the tail color in poor light, look for dark bars on the underside of their wings. Bars between the shoulder and wrist (carpals) and along the leading edge of the wings (it's "fingers" or primary flight feathers) are noticeably darker than the rest of the wing. 

 
Photo cred: Trevor Adler

4.) Shape while in flight: Buteos have broader, rounder wings and short, wide tails. If you see a big bird soaring without flapping its wings too much then you can narrow it down to this genus and then double check for other key field markings mentioned above. 

Hawk identification is a whole field in itself but as you learn what species inhabit your area and practice identification then you will steadily improve. Big time hawk watchers are highly skilled at accurately identifying hawks from a half mile away from profile shape and movement. If this is something you're interested in learning, I suggest picking up a copy of Hawks from Every Angle by Jerry Ligouri. I just picked up my own copy at Barnes and Nobles for about $20. I can't wait to delve into it!

Photo cred: Trevor Adler

 
Photo cred: Trevor Adler

While it is extremely valuable to be able to identify hawks from a distance (they don't often let you get too close) it is a rare treat to see one up close and appreciate the detail in their structure and plumage. We first spotted a Red-tail on a telephone pole on our drive into the park. She sat there and checked us out while we snapped a few underside shots of her but another Red-tailed hawk we found hanging out on this fence inside the park and she let us get extremely close while we captured these amazing shots. Check them out!

 
Photo cred: Trevor Adler

Those talons are no joke! Hawks use their talons to restrain prey while they use their beak to do all the delicious tearing and munching ;) Yummm

Getting up close and personal but still keeping safety in mind. Look at her sticking out her chest. Such proud, beautiful....cocky animals :P

 
Photo cred: Trevor Adler

I loved this shot because she looks so mean with her 3rd eyelid (nictitating membrane) closing. But really it's just the way birds keep their eyes debris free.

Photo cred: Trevor Adler

I think we took at least 300 pictures of hawks during that day of hiking and saw a species I'd never seen before, the Northern Harrier (more on him later) and now that we know what to look for, I swear we see at least 20 hawks on a simple drive through town. The sky is absolutely bursting with life and energy. While you enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend (I'm talking to my California people ;) but everyone else having actual winter should do this too!) spend some time looking up and see if you can pick out hawks hanging out in your town! Keep scrolling down to read more interesting facts about hawks and check out the links I provided if you'd like to learn even more :)

Cheers!!!

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Things You Didn't Know About Red-tailed Hawks

• These hawks will take prey items from as small as an ounce up to five pounds, usually small mammals, but it's very rare that they will pick up a dog, cat or small birds.
• Red-tailed hawks often mate for life or until one of the pair dies. Their courtship dances are quite a spectacle that often ends with them clasping talons as they plummet toward the ground where they fly apart.
• Young red-tailed hawks are covered in white, downy feathers (as seen below). Both parents participate in feeding and care of the young until about 6-weeks when they fledge (when flight muscles and feathers are developed enough for flight)

Photo cred: Trevor Adler

• Hawks are important members of the ecosystem and function as a steady pest control service
• Sexual dimorphism (clear physical differences between males and females of a species) is displayed by most raptors, including the Red-tailed hawk. Females are usually easier to identify because they are about 25% larger than the males.

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Now that you've learned so many cool/new things about the Red-tailed Hawk you're probably asking a couple of obvious questions. Such as:

1.) Where can I go to see these awesome birds of prey?

Red-tailed hawks are birds of open country so you probably won't see them in your backyard ...unless you have quite a big backyard or you have big trees lining your property. Look for them while you're out driving; they will be perched on telephone poles, trees, and fence posts searching the ground for their next meal. You will also be able to spot them soaring in wide circles by themselves or with a partner. These are the most common raptor here in North America so you should be able to easily spot quite a few if you're paying attention. 

2.) I'd love to get up close and personal. How can I get my hands on a hawk?

Getting hands on with a bird of prey is no small task and takes ample training to handle them safely and confidently. But if this is something you'd really like to learn to do there are quite a few avenues for training in raptor care and handling (see additional links below)

 ** WARNING: It is never a good idea to purposely pursue a hawk to handle it for entertainment, especially if you do not have the proper training and knowledge. Mishandling of any wildlife is not only dangerous to you but to the animal. If you find wildlife that looks injured or distressed please contact your local wildlife center/veterinarian/animal services to assist in its possible transport to the nearest certified rehabilitator**

• Volunteer for seasonal Raptor Banding - There are many raptor conservation groups which take volunteers to help with regular banding activities. Training is usually in the summer and banding starts in the fall when migrations begin and influx of raptors can be expected as they head south. You usually have to be over 18 for banding. Many other Audubon and ornithological societies sponsor bird banding activities and trainings if you would like to start with smaller birds and work up.

• Volunteer at a Wildlife Center - I started out volunteering 4 hours a week for 6 months at a wildlife rehabilitation center and they gave me my first experience handling raptors from small White-tailed kites to huge Turkey vultures. At other hospitals I was eventually trained to handle bald eagles. Basic training is required to become an animal care volunteer and additional training is provided when you're ready to work with raptor species. This is a great opportunity if you are interested in the husbandry/medical side of wildlife care or if you're considering a career in veterinary sciences. 

• Research falconry - For those of you who know you love hunting and raptors, falconry might be something you would want to look into. It is quite a long process to become a falconer but I have met quite a few and it seems to be a very enjoyable experience. See the links below for more information on falconry. It's not my area of expertise so please do your research before you determine it is something you'd like to invest in. 

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Additional Info

• Interested in Falconry? - check out the California Hawking Club for more information on how to get involved and the whole process.

• Live in CA and want to volunteer with wildlife? Check out the California Council for Wildlife Rehabiliation. They have a job board that is great for looking for jobs and volunteer opportunities near you. For all of you out of state check out The National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association. Other opportunities can be found at local natural centers and zoos. Find what is in your town and get involved!

• The Western Bird Banding Association compiled a great list for western US banding opportunities check it out here.

• For job opportunities and also volunteer postings (anywhere in the US) for everything ornithological (bird-related) check out the OSNA job board as well. Also, look around your community for bird banding activities at local parks, sanctuaries, and research centers. There are so many opportunities to get hands on with wildlife!

• This team at Southern Ohio did research on nesting behaviors in urban Red-tailed hawks. Give it a read and see what they found out!

• I just found out about this new hobby? or adventure opportunity? called Parahawking that combines falconry and paragliding! Right now it's only available in Nepal but apparently it's coming to the US?!! Kinda really excited about this :)