Winged Wednesday - Local Raptors

There are many species of raptor which wildlife enthusiasts and birders hope to observe. Many of them may not be tolerant of human development so we don't generally expect them to show up in our backyard or in town. However just as many of our furry friends have adapted to suburban or urban life, the raptors have adapted as well. This post is just about the raptors we see or hear around neighborhoods in our area.

Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks are smaller hawks and have become common sights around bird feeders. These hawks are fairly successful bird killers, and are attracted by the high concentrations of birds around feeders. We had a youngster around our yard last year. Our introduction came one night while we were sitting on our deck, and some Mourning Doves were milling around on the ground. Suddenly doves were airborne and there was a hawk at the base of the feeder, and as a quick as it descended it was up in the neighbor's tree. It had a number of other observed failed hunting attempts in the yard in June and July, and then one evening in late summer, as I was returning from walking the dog the Mourning Doves took off again. Initially I assumed it was from the arrival of the beagle brigade, and then our hawk friend snatched a dove in mid-flight and proceeded to devour it our neighbor's yard. So long as there are birds to feed on, these hawks will be around somewhere.

Red-Tailed Hawks are the large hawks people often see along the highway sitting atop the big green signs. They are expert mammal hunters. If there are squirrels, rabbits, mice, etc then the hawks should have plenty of food. If your yard, neighborhood, or local park is home to small mammals then on a warm day pay attention to sky. We often see the local Red-Tail above our own yard on clear days. We've seen it circle above enough to frighten our backyard wildlife, but we've yet to see it make a kill.

Great Horned Owls are highly adaptable. They are the most widespread raptor in North America. These owls have the distinct "hooting" that people identify with owls. They will duet when finding a mate. They seem to prefer perching in evergreens and are nightly ambush predators. Like the Red-Tailed Hawks they also feed on the small furry critters in our yards. They fly almost silently and may be difficult to spot in the dark, but we often hear our local owls when taking our dog on her bedtime walk.

American Kestrels are much smaller than the other birds on this list. You can even purchase nest boxes for these petite raptors. When driving, pay attention to the birds you see perched on the power lines. While you may see blackbirds, pigeons, and doves, these lines often have kestrels perched as well. Kestrels have a fairly varied diet of insects, small mammal, and birds. Their diet makes them fairly adaptable, but they do rely on woodpecker cavities for their nests. Hence, if you want to attract a kestrel to your yard, you could consider adding a large nest box.

Bald Eagles are not exactly the kind of bird I would expect to find in my yard. That said, if you live near a river, in particular one with a hydroelectric dam, you can find them hunting in groups during the winter. One example of this is the Sauk Prairie metro-area in Wisconsin. Because eagles need open water to fish, the eagles will stay near the dam as the waters begin to freeze. They gather in convocations and pick off the stunned or injured fish that make it through the dam. Other cities, like LaSalle-Peru on the Illinois River, also play host to convocations of eagles during the winter, so if you live on a river in the Upper Midwest you should keep your eyes open as you may be fortunate to see a Bald Eagle in your neighborhood.

This one fed in our yard over the summer.

Eagle over the dam in Sauk Prairie