Stocky with rounded wings and a short tail, this classic buteo gives the distinct impression that it is not wise to mess with the best.
There are several subspecies and morphs that funnel through Oklahoma when it is time for fall migration at the end of August through September. They will all fan out via the Great Plains and then will head directly to their home bases, sometimes as late as December. One can conceivably see Harlan's, Southwestern, Western, Krider's, and Eastern Red-tailed Hawks perched upon trees or fenceposts to assist in keeping down the rodent population.
Juvenile Eastern Red-tailed Hawk
Usually uncommon, yet widespread, the Red-tailed Hawk is the bird of choice for many falconers, who must learn how to handle the bird properly, take it out for prey hunting, and get it through the winter. Licensed to be responsible for the bird, an apprentice falconer must prove him or herself to be worthy to keep a raptor in his or her care. Eighty to eighty-five percent of first year birds cannot survive their first winter, usually due to lack of food, so the falconer provides the opportunity for that bird to succeed. When it gets through that winter, it can hopefully, be assured of a long and well-fed life, as well as passing on good genes to its sires.
Adult Fuertes x Eastern Red-tailed Hawk
These raptors prefer open habitat for hunting purposes, which is perfect for sighting prey, as well as thick groups of tall trees for nesting. Nests are platform types from fifteen to seventy-five feet high in their tree of choice, frequently oaks and sycamores. They are made of twigs, lined with green vegetation, bark strips, and sometimes soft feathers. They usually breed from mid-March to mid-April and young are in the nest from early May to mid-June in Oklahoma.
The female, who is the larger of the pair, takes responsibility for brooding purposes, but both will incubate. The male takes over feeding both the female and the young. Young are hatched over several days. By the time they are a month old, they are branching in the trees, and will fly around six weeks of age. They will be independent of their parents in about a month.
Young give their respect and a wide berth to the Bald Eagle if it happens to be hunting in the same area.
The Southwestern or Fuertes Red-tail was given its name by the late George Miksch Sutton, a truly gifted ornithologist and artist of Oklahoma. The subspecies was named in honor of Louis Agassiz Fuertes, an excellent wildlife artist. This bird is very light and is differentiated by the breast streaking, and Sutton even indicated that the breeding bird in Oklahoma is the Fuertes. However, there is much conjecture upon this and I have even had disagreements myself with ornithologists much more experienced than I am.
The Eastern Red-tail is non-migratory and varies much in physical attributes, and many would say that this is the hawk of Oklahoma. Others have indicated that perhaps the Eastern has mixed with the Fuertes, or the Fuertes is not even here.
Western Red-tails are noticeably darker and were bred in the northwestern part of the country.
Harlan's Hawks look quite black, with a white streak upon the breast, yet their DNA is very close to the Eastern subspecies. They seem to be quite suspicious of people and will go out of their way to get away from them. John James Audubon named this subspecies after a medical doctor and friend, Richard Harlan.
The Krider's Hawk is white on both the head and the tail. Eastern and Krider's also tend to breed together.
Red-tailed Hawks are some of the most difficult birds to actually identify, as well as the light, medium and dark morph tags. As you learn more about the species and see the varieties in the field, it may only confuse you more. However, you will observe noticeable behavioral differences as the years progress in your studies. Keep at it, and get out in the winter, where you will a chance to actually observe all these subspecies in the Great Plains.
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