O.L.S.S. WILDLIFE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION CENTER
RAPTORS
EAGLES
EAGLES
Eagles are large, usually dark brown raptors with long, broad wings and a rounded tail. Some books will have these birds listed with the Accipiters. Because of their popularity we have listed them seperately. Eagles have large, strong feet and a powerful beak. They are often seen soaring and gliding high overhead. Two species are widespread in North American; the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos and the Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus.(pictured above)
ACCIPITES& HARRIERS
HARRIERS
There are ten species of Harriers found woldwide. Ground nesters, they are found on grasslands and marshes, soaring low over fields in search of rodents, small birds, and insects. Most species are sexually dimorphic, the female being brown and white and the male gray and white. Only one species of harrier is found in North America, the Northern Harrier.
ACCIPITERS
Accipiters feed mainly on birds and small mammals. these long tailed hunters with short rounded wings fly rapidly with short wing beats interrupted by glides. Females are larger than males, so speies overlap in size. Sexes are similar in plumage. Includes the Goshawk Accipiter gentilis (shown above), Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii and the SharpSkinned Hawk Accipiter striatus.
BUTEOS & OSPREY
BUTEOS, the largest subfamily of the Accipridoe, are the soaring hawks, which circle overhead and drop upon their prey in a steep dive. Broad rounded wings, a robust body, and a broad fanned tail distinquish them Usually lone hunters, but two species migrate in flocks. In migration they tend to follow ridges and shorelines.
Includes the Rough-legged Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk (shown above), Red-tail Hawk, Red-Shoulder Hawk, swainson's hawk, Broad-winded hawk, Harlan's Hawk, Harris Hawk, Black hawk, ZOne-Tailed hawk, White Tailed Hawk, Short Tailed hawk, and Gray Hawk.
OSPREY Pandion holiaetus often called Fish Hawks are wolrdwide in distribution near fresh or salt water. Fish, the only prey, are taken at or just below the surface. the birds hover, often 50' to 150' high, then suddenly plunge, sometines going completely under the water.
FALCONS
FALCONS>
are streamlined hawks with long painted wings, large heads, and tails that narrow at the tip. They are rapid on the wing with a direct, choppy, powerful flight, through they sometimes soar with the tail spread open.Belonging to a group of hawks called Falco are often identified by their dark eyes and notched beak. Unlike other hawks they do not build their own nests, but scrape out spots on cliffs or in cavities. Among the most aerial of the raptos the flight abilities of this group are legendary. Five members of the group are found in North America: the American Kestrel, Falco sparverius also known as the Sparrow Hawk; Merlin Falco columbarius alsoknown as the Pigeon Hawk; Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus ; Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus; and the Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus(shown above).
O.L.S.S. Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Center
P.O. Box 520
Church Rock, NM 87311
(505) 488-6632
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