| After six years of hard work and a total of 2332 birds trapped between two blinds (and in a third experimental site in 2000 and 2002), the La Mancha Raptor Banding Station has proved itself as a good place for the study of migrating and resident raptors. |
| The Raptors |
| We have trapped eigthteen species of raptors at La Mancha, including ten migrants species and eigth resident species, and the possibility for more species is always present. We band the "migrant" species with a US Fish and Wildlife band, and we band "resident" species with special Pronatura bands, so that we may gather information about their movements as well. |
| The most abundant species banded at the La Mancha Raptor Banding Station is the Cooper's Hawk, followed by the Sharp-shinned Hawk. Other migrant species commonly trapped at La Mancha, although at lower numbers, are the Peregrine Falcon, American Kestrel, Merlin, Zone-tailed Hawk, and Northern Harrier. We have also trapped a few Red-tailed Hawks, Broad-winged Hawks and Red-shouldered Hawks.. |
| Among the "resident" raptors that we have trapped at La Mancha are the Common Black Hawk, Great Black Hawk, Gray Hawk, Roadside Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, Aplomado Falcon, Bat Falcon and Collared Forest Falcon. |
| But the fun doesn't stop here. If you really like hawk-watching, there are a lot more migrating and resident raptors that you can see at La Mancha. Those are (in really BIG numbers): Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Swainson's Hawk, and Osprey. You can see also Swallow-tailed Kite, Mississippi Kite, White-tailed Kite, Hook-billed Kite, Laughing Falcon, Crested Caracara, Crane Hawk, White-tailed Hawk and Snail Kite. |
| So, if you are thinking of going to an exciting place for hawk-watching, why not try Veracruz? Pronatura Veracruz has some excellent guided tours that will show you the best of the State, including La Mancha and surroundings areas, during the migration season. |
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| Northern Harrier |
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| RAPTORS TRAPPED AT THE LA MANCHA RAPTOR BANDING STATION 1998- 2003 |
| Raptor |
| 1998 |
| 1999 |
| 2000 |
| 2001 |
| 2002 |
| Total |
|
| Sharp-shinned Hawk |
| Cooper's Hawk |
|
|
| Common Black Hawk |
|
| Grey Hawk |
|
| Roadside Hawk |
|
| Broad-winged Hawk |
|
| Short-tailed Hawk |
|
| Zone-tailed Hawk |
|
| Red-tailed Hawk |
|
| Great Black Hawk |
|
| American Kestrel |
|
| Merlin |
|
| Aplomado Falcon |
| Peregrine Falcon |
|
| Collared Forest Falcon |
|
| Total |
|
| 2 |
| 8 |
| 6 |
| 78 |
| 23 |
| 106 |
| 6 |
| 27 |
| 468 |
| 213 |
| 1239 |
| 73 |
| 148 |
| 106 |
| 629 |
| 93 |
| 1 |
| 5 |
| 2 |
| 8 |
| 36 |
| 13 |
| 2 |
| 7 |
| 1 |
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 10 |
| 5 |
| 8 |
| 4 |
| 9 |
| 40 |
| 2 |
| 1 |
| 1 |
| 3 |
| 43 |
| 10 |
| 88 |
| 27 |
| 1 |
| 32 |
| 18 |
| 6 |
| 2332 |
| 1 |
| 136 |
| 10 |
| 83 |
| 1 |
| 1 |
| 3 |
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 37 |
| 19 |
| 21 |
| 754 |
| 387 |
| 274 |
| 220 |
| 29 |
| 1 |
| 258 |
| 179 |
| 7 |
| 2 |
| 8 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 8 |
| 4 |
| 18 |
| 7 |
| 14 |
| 514 |
| Juvenile Common Black Hawk |
| American Kestrel |
| Juvenile Gray Hawk |
| Roadside Hawk |
|
| Red-shouldered Hawk |
| 1 |
| 1 |
|
| 45 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 2 |
| 16 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 101 |
|
| 183 |
| Bat Falcon |
| 1 |
| 2003 |
| 1 |