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 Breeding Bird Species Profile: Barn Owl

An uncommon raptor that nests in old barns, caves, or occasionally dense trees and other abandoned structures, this night owl usually roosts during daylight hours.  Flying on silent wings, the solitary hunter glides over marshes, brushy areas, agricultural lands, and open grasslands of Oklahoma.

Generally heard only at night, the dark-eyed wonder tends to hiss and screech.  A ghostly appearing and silent bird, the ghost owl hunts for mice and voles and they are able to see very little movement in the night.  Since they can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, they easily observe the urine trail of rodents, which they are able to easily locate.

White owls swallow their mice, voles, or rats whole, then they cough up pellets twice a day.  One can earn a great deal from these pellets, especially ecosystems, which is another topic altogether.

                                                                       Barn Owl
                                                              Osage County, OK 2016

Surprisingly, the females are showier than males, making this raptor a dimorphic species.  A top quality female will be more reddish- and more heavily spotted on the breast.  This may have something to do with the fact that they are less susceptible to parasitic flies and other disease.  This quality appears to keep the male more attentive to the nest and it inhabitants when the young hatch.

Sweet heart owls become mature for nesting in their first year, so if there is an owl in your area and there is increased screeching, chances are good that breeding activity is in order.

Nest boxes can attract a breeding pair of these unusual owls, since they do not build their own nests.

This is a valuable resource for building nest boxes if you live in the right location or have access to one.  You could even donate a box to a bird rescue organization or a national wildlife refuge.  Loss of habitat always has a negative effect on birds.

https://modernfarmer.com/2014/05/build-barn-owl-nest/

It is imperative that in order to do their jobs effectively that mankind cease the use of rodenticides and other detrimental poisons to other living raptors.  Once in the body of the affected animal, the poison will not only eliminate the unwanted pest, it will also eradicate raptors such as these.  Help a Barn Owl and other birds today.

042918 Muskogee Phoenix Edition, Birding Today

http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/birding-today-keep-eye-out-for-examples-of-dimorphism-in/article_2138c692-4b54-11e8-adcc-7ff95bf9c16e.html