Hawks, Eagles & Falcons

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Peregrine falcons measure approximately 14.2-19.3 in (36-49 cm) in length with a wingspan of 39.4-43.3 in (100-110 cm). In North America Peregrine Falcons breed in open landscapes with cliffs (or skyscrapers) for nest sites. They can be found nesting at elevations up to about 12,000 feet, as well as along rivers and coastlines. Peregrine Falcons are the largest falcon over most of the continent, with long, pointed wings and a long tail. Long primary feathers give the Peregrine a long-winged shape. Adults are blue-gray above with barred underparts and a dark head with thick sideburns. Juveniles are heavily marked with vertical streaks instead of horizontal bars on the breast. As with most raptors, males are smaller than females. Powerful and fast-flying, the Peregrine Falcon hunts medium-sized birds, dropping down on them from high above in a spectacular stoop. They are often reported to be the fastest bird in the world. Their average cruising flight speed is 24 to 33 mph, increasing to 67 mph when in pursuit of prey. When stooping, or dropping on prey with their wings closed, it's been calculated that Peregrine Falcons can achieve speeds of 238 mph.

Fun Facts: Peregrine Falcons eat mostly birds, of an enormous variety—450 North American species have been documented as prey, and the number worldwide may be as many as 2,000 species. They have killed birds as large as a Sandhill Crane and as small as a hummingbird and are also known to prey upon bats.

Northern Harrier (Circus hidsonius)

Northern Harriers are generally 16-24 inches tall (40-61 cm) and a wingspan of 3 ft. 6 in (1.1 m). Their colors differ between males and females. Males tend to have grey feathers, black wingtips, and white bellies and underwings; females are brown with black bands on their tails and off-white bellies. This hawk is best known by its shape and its long slow flight with its wings in a shallow V position. These hawks live in marshes, fields and prairie habitats. Their diet consists of small mammals and birds, as well as larger prey such as rabbits and ducks.

Fun Facts: Northern Harrier hawks are sometimes mistaken for an owl, due to their heart-shaped face, which helps direct sound to their ears to better locate their prey. All Northern Harriers have a while patch on their behinds that are very noticeable in flight and can help with identification from a distance.

Sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus)

Sharp-shinned hawks are roughly the size of a blue-jay at 11 in (28 cm) tall and have a wingspan of 23 in (58 cm). Adults have blue-gray crowns, backs and wings with a pale red-brown streaked throat, chest and belly. These birds of prey tend to hunt smaller songbirds but are also known to hunt rodents like mice or voles. The Sharp-shinned hawk tend to live in forested areas that have an abundance of prey, but they are seldom seen. Often, the best times to see these hawks are when they are migrating south for the winter, as they move in large groups.

Fun Facts: Due to their longer name, Sharp-shinned hawks are sometimes called “Sharpies”. Male Sharp-shinned hawks are generally 57% smaller than females.

Red-Tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-tailed hawks are generally 18-26 in (45-66 cm) in height and have a wingspan of around 4 feet (1.2 m). Their most distinctive feature is their reddish-brown tail in adults. The color of this hawk can vary from dark brown to nearly white. The belly and underwing tend to be lighter in color than the wings and upper side of the bird. Red-tailed hawks can live in many different environments from cliffsides to forests. Their diet generally consists of rodents, but they will occasionally hunt other birds, rabbits, or snakes. The best time to see these birds is during the day when they are hunting or protecting their territory.

Fun Facts: Red-tail hawks are highly territorial and will defend where they live against other birds and hawks. The vision of the Red-tailed hawk is about eight times more powerful than a human!Red-tail Hawks mate for life and will return to the same nesting spot year after year.

Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

With an approximate length of 30-40 in (76-102 cm) and a wingspan of 80-88 in (203-224 cm), Golden eagles are one of the largest and most powerful raptors in North America, second only to the Bald Eagle. They prefer open country of mountains, canyonlands, rimrock terrain, riverside cliffs and bluffs where they can hunt medium to small mammals (hares, black tailed jack rabbits, ground squirrels, prairie dogs and marmots), other birds, carrion and fish. Adult Golden Eagles have dark brown feathers, faint gray bars on their tails and a golden wash over the back of their head and neck. Immature Golden Eagles are dark brown with white patches on the tips of their wings and their tails are white with a dark brown terminal band.

Fun facts: Golden eagles can soar through the skies for long amounts of time, turn their heads 270º to search for prey and have long, sharp hallux (rear) claws. If they spot prey while soaring, they can tuck their wings and swoop at speeds up to 200 miles per hour. Golden eagles can carry up to 8 pounds during flight!