092621 Muskogee Edition, Birding Today

https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/lifestyles/birding-today-keep-your-eyes-open-for-the-sharp-shinned-hawk/article_51b9c67f-53ea-598c-9350-8634ea2ca7b0.html 

011721 Muskogee Edition, Birding Today

https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/birding-today-long-eared-owls-often-found-at-winter-roost-sites/article_9b15976b-650d-5f3f-b783-afb6152615d8.html 

Oklahoma Vagrants: Crested Caracara

Seen as early as 2002 in the Perry area, which is as far north and east as has been reported in Oklahoma, and at Red Slough in winter of 2018, the Crested Caracara gets around as an accidental or vagrant bird.

The caracara is a raptor, and very unlike a regal falcon.  Even its physical attributes say that it was classified incorrectly:  long legs, habits of a scavenger, rounded wingtips, and it flies low in search of prey.

Known as the northern caracara, these birds are found in scrub, deserts, grasslands, and up to ten thousand feet above sea level.

Often on foot, they capture their prey running upon the ground and overtaking it.  They require a running start in order to become airborne, and once they do, their flight is strong and they can soar well, in order to scan for ground prey.

                                                           Adult Crested Caracara
                                                               January 2017, TX

As opportunists, they will join vultures at carrion, overturn rocks for insects, fish in shallow water, and eat nearly anything, even fruit.  However, their bill is not useful for opening large prey, so they require a larger animal or a vulture to do that.

Since the caracara feeds upon carrion, its face is bare in order to permit cleanliness.  Perching upon small trees or fenceposts, this falcon is not known for swift and acrobatic flights.  It would rather scan for vultures on the way to prey.

The northern crested caracara is common in Mexico, as well as Central and northern South America.  Due to recent bad weather in and around Cuba, it may not be as common there as it once was.

Stick nests are built in mesquites, palms, live oak, palmetto, cactus, shrubs, or even upon the ground if absolutely necessary.  Where populations are endangered (Florida in 1987), temperature increases caused loss of habitat.

Birds of the Desert: Harris's Hawk

A very rare visitor to the skies of Oklahoma, the Harris's Hawk is a raptor of saguaro-mesquite, paloverde, organ pipe cactus, or mesquite woodlands.  They are normally in the extreme southwest part of the country as well as southern Texas.  They are social hawks with a cooperative effort in hunting and know the meaning of family as a unit.  A couple of them will flush their prey and the third will capture it.  It may lead to sibling rivalry, but it is a healthy way to do it.

Their body structure is somewhat confusing, running about midway between a buteo and an accipiter with short wings, long tail, lanky build, and rounded, broad wings.  Its  genus name certainly suggests these attributes, parabuteo.  The wings are all dark with rufous shoulders and white upper tail coverts and tail tip.  Audubon even named this bird after his friend and ornithological companion, Edward Harris.

                                                               Harris's Hawk
                                                           Eastland, TX 2018

The dusky hawk breeds in the southwest US through Mexico and Central America, south to Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.  They will reside in semi-desert, sparse woodlands, mangrove swamps, and marshes with sparse trees in some of their assorted ranges.  They do not migrate and are resident birds in their own zones.  Even though their populations are declining, they have relocated to developed areas.



Harris's Hawk (background) with
   Peregrine Falcon (foreground)
Digital Art by Liana Winters Smith


Highly intelligent and easy to train, this is a popular falconry bird, which lends to the fact that it is seen in Europe and Asia.  Its size falls between a Red-tailed Hawk and a Peregrine Falcon with the female thirty percent larger than the male, which is a form of sexual dimorphism.

Their agility and hunting practices allow them to take rabbits, lizards and large insects. The bay- winged hawk will nest in shrubby growth, cacti, and small trees.  Young have been known to stay with their parents for up to three years, lending to cooperative breeding.   The female could breed up to three times each year.

The dusky hawk will often stand upon another if perching spots are lacking.

Oklahoma Migratory Species Profile: Peregrine Falcon

Stooping at a conservative 186 mph, what can possibly escape the clutches of the Peregrine Falcon?

Uncommon in open locales, especially near water, this missile of a bird of prey nests on edges of cliffs as well as within cities upon buildings or bridges.  A solitary speed demon such as this to be reckoned with, the peregrine hunts prey such as small or medium sized birds.  As seen in the video, it also swiftly dispatches what it considers threats to its young, both real and imagined.

DDT and other equally destructive pesticides nearly eradicated the duck hawk in the mid-twentieth century in the US, but the species managed to rebound with the help of captive breeding.

Falconry has been an avid sport for an easy millennia, and the peregrine was always one of the most coveted of prizes.  The only continent devoid of this remarkable species in Antarctica.  It also cares nothing for tropical forests or very high mountains, as its talents are squelched in those ecosystems.
It reaches sexual maturity in one year and healthy populations will breed between the ages of two and three.  A pair mates for life and they return to the same nesting spot each year.  The species is dimorphic, and its markings are unmistakable.

Courtship between a pair is the most acrobatic natural system that one will ever encounter, including dives, spirals, passing food between the two individuals, and the necessity of unparalleled aerial maneuvers to receive the morsel.

Its lineage includes the deadly agility of the Prairie Falcon, where it likely originated in Africa through western Eurasia.  Mitochondrial DNA structures tend to surprise the scientific world, for much of its genetics have allowed study and breeding to creat even stronger birds than it originally was made for.




                    Peregrine Falcon
                 pen and ink drawing
               by Liana Winters Smith
       

The Perilanner combines hardiness with hunting and similar parenting, and then came the Gyrfalcon to produce large and even more strikingly marked birds.  There is even the Perlin, which is a mix with the Merlin.

Peregrines are just as lethal as their own predators, which include the Golden and Bald Eagles.  If these birds come too close to the eyases in the nest, they will usually win the encounter, but they usually prefer to keep their distance unless it is warranted.

                                                              Peregrine Falcon
                                                         Great Salt Plains, 2017

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Red-shouldered Hawk

Kee-yah, kee-yah!

Often observed perching in trees at edges of clearings, the Red-shouldered Hawk is usually seen near water.  It is vocal with crescents shown across its outer primaries, which is used as one feature of identification.  Checked flight feathers are also another identifying characteristic.  It is not usually seen in the same habitat as the Red-tailed Hawk, yet there are exceptions to the rule.

The three subspecies are very distinctive, which includes the California, Florida, and Eastern.  The California has a solid orange breast, the Eastern has orange bars, and the Florida is much paler as adults.  The brown juvenile is streaked below and very similar to the Broad-winged Hawk.

                                                        Eastern Red-shouldered Hawk
                                                            Boomer Lake Park, 2016

The most distinctive signage is the red shoulder patch, or epaulet, and it is often the most common hawk in its habitat, where it hunts in swamps, coves, agricultural areas with plenty of trees, and riparian woodlands.  Sedentary like other buteos they soar while hunting or from a low perch where it will drop to capture its prey.

Mouse hawks consume a protein-rich diet of small mammals and birds, frogs, reptiles, snails, etc.

They are migratory in northern regions, and are on the breeding grounds by February or March.  They will head south in October or November, generally wintering in Mexico.

                                                         Eastern Red-shouldered Hawk
                                                              Boomer Lake Park, 2016

Nesting is done in tall trees, usually nearest the tree trunk, and they prefer hardwoods, though pines can suffice in a pinch.  They use platform nests with twigs, lined with lighter substrate and feathers.

A popular breeding bird of Oklahoma, the red-bellied hawk is usually up for photographic opportunities.  Also nicknamed winter hawk, hen hawk, red-shouldered buzzard, and a few others depending upon regional locales.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Cooper's Hawk

Peak migration for hawks is usually in late September, so now is the time to brush up on your ID skills.  You will be comparing species that could be side by side, and you could see a dozen or two every minute.  The largest conflict is between Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, and the jury could still be out on those sightings.

The adult Cooper's hawk will be wearing a dark cap and will have a paler nape.  It also has white undertail coverts conspicuously displayed in flight, and since the Northern Goshawk is not seen in Oklahoma with any regularity, you will have a Cooper's.  It is also best to focus on the rounded tail shape and long length.  Their flight is a flap, flap, glide, not constant flapping.  Also observe head size and the leading edge of the wing.  An adult male Coop will also have gray cheeks.  They will also be more apt to be found on a fencepost than a Sharpie.

                                                              Adult Cooper's Hawk
                                                                Boomer Lake Park

As an accipiter, they have relatively short rounded wings and long tails.  They are bird and small mammal eaters, and they could be found in your front yard or the deep woods.  They can pour on the speed or they can glide into your feeders with very little warning.  If you hear a bang on your front storm door and find a dead bird, the culprit is likely the Cooper's Hawk.  Wingbeats are also choppy and stiff.

The two age classes are adult and juvenile, or first year.  The first year is buff-white with thin, chocolate streaks and could be found only on the breast or upper belly.

                                                              Juvenile Cooper's Hawk
                                                                 Flying Off with Gull
                                                                   Boomer Lake Park

We all know that the hen hawk is larger than the Sharpie, but you must not rely on size, because they are rarely side by side.  Know the other characteristics that have been outlined with practice, and you'll not go wrong.

A breeder of the mature forest, nests are in large deciduous trees at the crotch or next to a trunk in a coniferous tree.   The chicken hawk prefers deciduous trees in many cases.

                                                                                       

                          Cooper's Hawk

                       Liana Winters Smith

 Single brooders from April through July in Oklahoma, the male selects the nest site, and builds most of the structure.  He remains attentive to her needs from courtship through the nestling process.    Young birds fledge after a little more than a month, and they remain dependent for another month.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Swainson's Hawk

A lanky hawk of the west, desert, prairie, and farmland, the Swainson's Hawk is one of four buteos with four notched primaries (as opposed to five).  They are uncommon and hunt from the air, a perch (still-hunting) or even upon the ground, running after their quarry.  They generally feed on reptiles or small mammals in summer, then resort to grasshoppers, locusts, and other invertebrates for the remainder of the year.

Known as the locust or grasshopper hawk, this handsome bird was named after William Swainson, a British naturalist.  Swainson felt like many of us do when it comes to living things.  They were an inherent passion.

Suspected to have a migration range of 14,000 miles, this raptor is likely the longest traveler in the family of hawks.  Wintering in Argentina or Southern Brazil, immature Swainson's Hawks can see their way to southern Canada by late March and their migration can peak from mid-April forward.

Having diverse and somewhat unusual eating habits, this hawk will take Mallards, fledged Lark Buntings, incapacitated Sage Grouse, toads, salamanders, whip snakes, the American Kestrel, young Short-eared Owls, and several others.  They are also known for hunting upon freshly plowed fields for rodents, and are opportunistic feeders, as well.

These birds come in a light, intermediate and dark morph.  Oklahoma has the lowest percentage of dark morphs, while California has the highest.  They can behave similarly to the Northern Harrier by flying low to the ground at times.  Wingbeats are deep and loose, and they will soar with wings in a dihedral angle, or an angle between two intersecting planes.  They glide like an Osprey would.  These are all tell tale signs of how to spot the bird on a hawk watch.

Last year, while visiting the Oklahoma Panhandle, these were relatively common, perching on telephone poles and fence posts.  This photo came from that area, with the sun behind the bird.

                                                                Swainson's Hawk
                                                            Cimmaron County, OK

Another interesting point, also from last year, was during monarch migration.  A notation was made on a butterfly site to go outside and look up, which I did.  I saw no monarchs, but observed fifteen Swainson's Hawks heading southbound.  It was one of the most remarkable sights ever seen, especially with the way that the light struck the underwings and their breasts in late afternoon, as they simply glowed.

Swainson's will hybridize with Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks, but it is questionable if Ferruginous Hawks are in the mix.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Barred Owl

Who cooks for you?  Who cooks for you aaaaall?  Listen for screams and barks, too.

This is the call that one expects to hear in the deep wooded areas of the country.  A Barred Owl will sit upon a perch near the trunk of a tree awaiting prey to appear in front of it on the ground.  Then it silently drops upon its victim.  Depending upon the season, it does basically the same thing, but the real treat is to observe it perched over water fishing.  Running after small mammals or reptiles will have you cheering for the raptor, even possibly becoming amusing at the antics.

It is a  somewhat easy woodland owl to be heard, but not always easy to locate.  An area chicken farmer invited me to visit around dusk while he was still living near me, and he said that I would surely see this raptor.  He was correct, but it moved shortly after he did.  It was one that I'd been hearing for years, even as close as my neighbor's yard in an old, large oak.

                                                             Barred Owl, Light Adult
                                                             Payne County CBC, 2017

Barred Owls and Great Horned Owls are mortal enemies.  They will not normally be seen in the area of one another, so if you have one, you'll not have the other, unless the Great Horned Owl wishes to dine upon a nestling.

Nearly any mature forest with an open understory should net you this solitary visitor.  They will hunt small mammals, and most are nocturnal.

                                                                 Barred Owl, Dark Adult
                                                               Sequoyah NWR, Vian, OK

Nesting occurs in a tree cavity or a hole in a broken limb, and occasionally even in the top of a broken snag.

They are considered an invasive species in the west, especially the northwest, where they have been providing competition for their native Northern Spotted Owl.  The Northern Spotted Owl is a threatened species in the old growth coniferous forest.  They will hybridize with the spotted owl, which also helps to threaten the purity of the species.

The female is larger than the male, and they have feathers over the feet and legs.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Burrowing Owl

One of the most fascinating birds to observe is the Burrowing Owl.  A creature of distinct personality with much vitality and liveliness, this is truly a raptor that anyone would like.

These little owls are uncommon and localized.  They are found in flat, open areas, including short grass prairie.  They often reside with prairie dogs and ground squirrels, who dig their own burrows.

They hunt for small rodents, like mice and voles, and also enjoy insects and lizards.  Unless they are breeding or have young, they are solitary animals.

                                                                     Burrowing Owls
                                                                      Keys, OK 2017


What few groups there are reside year round in Florida, Texas, the Oklahoma panhandle, New Mexico, southern California, and Mexico.  Some will also migrate to portions of the west and even to southwest Canadian provinces.

The biggest enemy of the Burrowing Owl is loss of habitat.  Many prairie dogs were lost in the 1920s due to rampant pesticide use, which took away one of the owl's symbionts.

Through extensive research, enemy mammals of the species were found, and it was also discovered that they did well with manmade burrows.  Cameras are placed in and around these surrogate living spaces, which has shown scientists the hatching of their young and their private lives as a species.

Both male and female adults are the same size.  They are about ten inches tall and weigh roughly six ounces.  They are diurnal, and are found both on the ground or atop fence posts.  They use dung both in the burrows and around them to attract insects, which are used for food.  Known by some as the howdy owl, these birds sometimes appear to be nodding as a form of greeting.

Some Burrowing Owls even nest within manmade areas of cities, such as Tucson, Arizona.

There are two subspecies, Florida and the Western.  They are not difficult to tell apart, due to range, as well as the physical characteristics.  The adult Florida has a streaked crown and is darker brown with white spots.

What subspecies is this owl?

                                                                Burrowing Owl
                                                                        2018

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: American Kestrel

The American Kestrel, sometimes called the Sparrowhawk, is North America's smallest falcon.
Often found in fields and pastures, perched upon electrical wires, or fenceposts, they scan open fields for grasshoppers, mice or any other small prey.  Kestrels are able to see the urine trails of mice due to ultraviolet sight.

The favored breeding habitat is where sparse trees or groves meet open country, which is not limited to agricultural lands and grasslands.

Usually the most sociable of falcons, males perform aerial displays and feed a female for courting interests.  This proves to the female his hunting prowess and ability to provide for nestlings.  It also continues to strengthen the pair bond.  Females will do most of the incubating and the young fledge in about thirty days.

These falcons are cavity nesters, often using nestboxes, rock crevices, and sheltered platforms if necessary.  An average of four eggs are laid, depending upon food availability at two-day intervals, then incubation begins just before the final egg is laid.

                                                 American Kestrel, Payne County, OK

They are in Oklahoma all year, and some of their breeding is quite concealed, which explains why they are not often seen in the summer, unless one of the pair is by a roadside seeking food for the female and the young.

This buoyant flier ranges throughout the Americas and is a dimorphic species (sexes differ).   Their calls are quite distinctive, as "klee-klee-klee-ke-lee!," which helps to locate them.

The kestrel occasionally is prey for the Cooper's and Red-tailed Hawks, but there was an incident last year with all three sitting on electrical wires, hunting.  They were all interested in one mouse, to which the Red-tailed Hawk was victorious.  The second mouse was taken by the Cooper's Hawk, and the kestrel was so irritated, he gave the above call, then fled the area.