Birds of Prey:
Bald Eagle Cooper's Hawk
Golden Eagle Peregrine Falcon
Osprey American Kestrel
Red-Tailed Hawk
Bald Eagle Cooper's Hawk
Golden Eagle Peregrine Falcon
Osprey American Kestrel
Red-Tailed Hawk
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Bald Eagle: (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Order: Accipitriformes Characteristics: Adult Bald Eagles have white heads and tails with dark brown bodies and wings. Their legs and bills are bright yellow. Immature birds have mostly dark heads and tails; their brown wings and bodies are mottled with white in varying amounts. Young birds attain adult plumage in about five years. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/eagle-fly-bald-eagle-raptor-soil-2892022/ 
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Golden Eagle: (Aquila chrysaetos)
Order: Accipitriformes Characteristics: The golden eagle is a large bird of prey that belongs to the hawk and eagle family. With broad, rounded wings, the colors of the eagle's feathers range from black-brown to dark brown. But it's the striking golden head and neck that give the bird its common name. Eagles can see much better than a human with perfect vision can. Golden eagles have large eyes that take up most of the space of the eagle's head. Their keen eyes can see clearly and in color, allowing the eagle to spot movement from a long distance. Although golden eagles can see extremely well during the day, they can see no better at night than we can. Their eyes don't move much in the eye socket, but an eagle can rotate its head about 270 degrees, just like an owl can, to look around. Golden eagles also have a clear eyelid that protects their precious eyes from dust and dirt. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/golden-eagle-animal-bird-beak-818809/ 
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Osprey: (Pandion haliaetus)
Order: Accipitriformes Characteristics: Ospreys are brown above and white below, and overall they are whiter than most raptors. From below, the wings are mostly white with a prominent dark patch at the wrists. The head is white with a broad brown stripe through the eye. Juveniles have white spots on the back and buffy shading on the breast. Ospreys search for fish by flying on steady wingbeats and bowed wings or circling high in the sky over relatively shallow water. They often hover briefly before diving, feet first, to grab a fish. You can often clearly see an Osprey's catch in its talons as the bird carries it back to a nest or perch. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/osprey-eagle-birds-of-prey-raptor-67786/ |
Red-Tailed Hawk: (Buteo jamaicensis)
Order: Accipitriformes Characteristics: The bird gets its name from its rusty-red tail. Red-tails are often seen soaring high overhead. Their long, broad wings are built for soaring on the warm air that rises off the ground. Because they spend a lot of time soaring, red-tailed hawks live in open habitats with scattered trees or other perches. You can also listen for their distinctive screaming call. It sounds like “kee-eeeee-arrr” and is usually given when the bird is soaring. If you hear that sound, look up and you will probably see a red-tailed hawk. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/hawk-red-tailed-hawk-bird-of-prey-7462926/ |
Coopers Hawk: (Astur cooperii)
Order: Accipitriformes Characteristics: Cooper’s Hawks are common woodland hawks that tear through cluttered tree canopies in high speed pursuit of other birds. You’re most likely to see one prowling above a forest edge or field using just a few stiff wingbeats followed by a glide. With their smaller lookalike, the Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawks make for famously tricky identifications. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/coopers-hawk-on-post-hunting-5119242/ 
American Kestrel: (Falco sparverius)
Order: Falconiformes Characteristics: North America’s littlest falcon, the American Kestrel packs a predator’s fierce intensity into its small body. It's one of the most colorful of all raptors: the male’s slate-blue head and wings contrast elegantly with his rusty-red back and tail; the female has the same warm reddish on her wings, back, and tail. Hunting for insects and other small prey in open territory, kestrels perch on wires or poles, or hover facing into the wind, flapping and adjusting their long tails to stay in place. Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/hawk-red-falcon-birds-raptors-7455627/ 
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Peregrine Falcon: (Falco peregrinus)
Order: Falconiformes Characteristics: The bird's chin and neck are white, and each eye is surrounded by a yellow circle. Dark-brown bars run across its white chest. If the wings are open, dark brown bars across the wings are also visible. Peregrine falcons are about 1.5 feet (0.4 meters) tall with a wingspan of 3.5 feet (one meter). The Peregrine Falcon is a very fast flier, averaging 40-55 km/h (25-34 mph) in traveling flight, and reaching speeds up to 112 km/h (69 mph) in direct pursuit of prey. During its spectacular hunting stoop from heights of over 1 km (0.62 mi), the peregrine may reach speeds of 320 km/h (200 mph) as it drops toward its prey.Picture: https://pixabay.com/photos/peregrine-falcon-bird-animal-falcon-6913795/ 
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