pounce on mice, small birds, snakes, and frogs. and snakes, birds, small mice, on pounce
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 0547152701 ISBN: Harcourt. Mifflin Houghton alternative to poisons. New wind turbine designs designs turbine wind New poisons. to alternative Red-shouldered Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed
red-shouldered waits and watches, ready to to ready watches, and waits red-shouldered
Peterson, Roger Tory. 2010. Tory. Roger Peterson, Edition America, 4 America, sinkers, and simple rat traps are a raptor-friendly raptor-friendly a are traps rat simple and sinkers,
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they defend their territory. A perch-hunter, the the perch-hunter, A territory. their defend they
terson Field Guide to Birds of Western North North Western of Birds to Guide Field terson Pe • • fishing can be enjoyed without using lead shot or or shot lead using without enjoyed be can fishing
quite vocal, producing loud shrieking calls as as calls shrieking loud producing vocal, quite
can be prevented or mitigated. Hunting and and Hunting mitigated. or prevented be can
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN-10: 0544018443 ISBN-10: Harcourt. Mifflin Houghton of green leaves. Nesting pairs become become pairs Nesting leaves. green of
Fortunately, many of these human-caused factors factors human-caused these of many Fortunately, V Dunne, Pete. 2017. 2017. Pete. Dunne, America North of ultures
are often “decorated” with a spray spray a with “decorated” often are
Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and and Falcons, Eagles, Hawks, Prey: of Birds •
year after year by both adults and and adults both by year after year harassment. harassment.
Books
stick nests are refurbished for use use for refurbished are nests stick turbines, as well as illegal trapping, shooting, and and shooting, trapping, illegal as well as turbines,
at allaboutbirds.org or an app store. store. app an or allaboutbirds.org at riparian woods and eucalyptus groves. Their large large Their groves. eucalyptus and woods riparian more collisions with autos, power lines, and wind wind and lines, power autos, with collisions more
Ornithology.) Free instant bird identification identification bird instant Free Ornithology.) spotted in forested areas such as oak woodlands, woodlands, oak as such areas forested in spotted a growing concern. Increasing urbanization brings brings urbanization Increasing concern. growing a
Me (Cornell Laboratory of of Laboratory (Cornell ID Bird rlin • and white banded tail. This colorful hawk is often often is hawk colorful This tail. banded white and sites. Poisoning from lead shot and rat poisons is is poisons rat and shot lead from Poisoning sites.
blackish wings with white spotting, and a black black a and spotting, white with wings blackish affecting the availability of prey or suitable nesting nesting suitable or prey of availability the affecting and abundance. See ebird.org or an app store. app an or ebird.org See abundance. and
A free online database of bird distribution distribution bird of database online free A Bird e • shouldered hawk has rufous-orange underparts, underparts, rufous-orange has hawk shouldered happens when we build on or near natural areas, areas, natural near or on build we when happens
Mobile Apps Mobile Smaller than the red-tailed hawk, the red- the hawk, red-tailed the than Smaller face threats to their survival. Habitat loss loss Habitat survival. their to threats face
sufficiency? But even the most powerful raptors raptors powerful most the even But sufficiency? Additional Resources Additional
Length: Length: ng Span: ng Wi 15-19” 37-42”
have come to symbolize freedom and self- and freedom symbolize to come have
Buteo lineatus Buteo
Is it any wonder that these magnificent animals animals magnificent these that wonder any it Is
sexual size dimorphism. size sexual Red-shouldered Hawk Hawk Red-shouldered
of their meals. meals. their of male counterparts, a condition known as reverse reverse as known condition a counterparts, male
as well as to soar, dive, glide, and hover in pursuit pursuit in hover and glide, dive, soar, to as well as female raptors are considerably larger than their their than larger considerably are raptors female
wings that allow them to migrate long distances, distances, long migrate to them allow that wings tip and wing span are listed as a range, since most most since range, a as listed are span wing and tip - Squared tail Squared - - Rounded tail Rounded -
Raptors are also masters of flight, with powerful powerful with flight, of masters also are Raptors Measurements of body length from bill tip to tail tail to tip bill from length body of Measurements - Smaller head Smaller - - Larger protruding head protruding Larger -
Latin, or scientific, names of the birds in italics. italics. in birds the of names scientific, or Latin,
Sharp-shinned Hawk Sharp-shinned Coopers Hawk Coopers habitat with plentiful perches. plentiful with habitat
in the air. the in
Following the common names in bold print are the the are print bold in names common the Following
reptiles, and amphibians, and prefer to hunt in open open in hunt to prefer and amphibians, and reptiles, ceptional vision for locating prey from high high from prey locating for vision ceptional Ex •
Red-tails prey on small mammals, as well as birds, birds, as well as mammals, small on prey Red-tails excellent ways to expand your knowledge. knowledge. your expand to ways excellent
the state as “species of special concern.” special of “species as state the
through flesh. through
which can fool even an experienced hawk watcher. watcher. hawk experienced an even fool can which District naturalists and local Audubon chapters are are chapters Audubon local and naturalists District
Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawk are listed by by listed are Hawk Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned
avy, hooked bills for tearing and cutting cutting and tearing for bills hooked avy, He •
although many jays can produce an imitation call call imitation an produce can jays many although and guided walks offered by East Bay Regional Park Park Regional Bay East by offered walks guided and with the wings when seen from below. Both the the Both below. from seen when wings the with
grasping and piercing. and grasping
The majestic scream of this hawk is also distinctive, distinctive, also is hawk this of scream majestic The guides, phone apps (see “Additional Resources”), Resources”), “Additional (see apps phone guides, squared-edged tail, and a small head that is in line line in is that head small a and tail, squared-edged
• • rong feet with claws called talons for for talons called claws with feet rong St
rather than the distinctive rusty-red tail of the adult. adult. the of tail rusty-red distinctive the than rather in identifying our most common raptors. Field Field raptors. common most our identifying in “Sharpie” appears delicate, with twig-like legs, a a legs, twig-like with delicate, appears “Sharpie”
a brown and white banded tail during its first year, year, first its during tail banded white and brown a The following descriptions will get you started started you get will descriptions following The animals, sometimes in mid-air! These include: include: These mid-air! in sometimes animals, of the wings in flight. The smaller, dove-sized dove-sized smaller, The flight. in wings the of
to identify even the immature red-tailed, which has has which red-tailed, immature the even identify to
features that allow them to catch and eat other other eat and catch to them allow that features tail, and its large, blocky head projects forward forward projects head blocky large, its and tail,
concern for their protection. their for concern
band stands out beneath its white bib. This helps helps This bib. white its beneath out stands band
raptors are predatory birds with specialized specialized with birds predatory are raptors Hawk (see photo) is larger, has a rounded rounded a has larger, is photo) (see Hawk
developing an appreciation for wild things leads to to leads things wild for appreciation an developing
and fence poles where its distinctive brown belly- brown distinctive its where poles fence and
From the Latin “rapere”, meaning “to seize”, seize”, “to meaning “rapere”, Latin the From between the two species. The Cooper’s Cooper’s The species. two the between
your enthusiasm with others is important too, as as too, important is others with enthusiasm your
widespread, this large hawk often perches on utility utility on perches often hawk large this widespread,
along with size, help birdwatchers distinguish distinguish birdwatchers help size, with along
birds of prey in your parks and sharing sharing and parks your in prey of birds and falcons, collectively known as raptors. as known collectively falcons, and
on-ramp? Probably a red-tailed hawk. Common and and Common hawk. red-tailed a Probably on-ramp?
Subtle differences in head and tail shape, shape, tail and head in differences Subtle
of open spaces. Learning about the the about Learning spaces. open of prey, including eagles, hawks, owls, owls, hawks, eagles, including prey,
That hawk you see every morning at the freeway freeway the at morning every see you hawk That
songbirds from suburban backyard bird feeders. feeders. bird backyard suburban from songbirds
water, clean air, and conservation conservation and air, clean water, for a wide variety of birds of of birds of variety wide a for
birds. Both species sometimes snatch unwary unwary snatch sometimes species Both birds. Length: ng Span: ng Wi
18-25” 46-58” all of us can advocate for clean clean for advocate can us of all provide important habitat habitat important provide
forests in pursuit of their preferred prey: small small prey: preferred their of pursuit in forests
Buteo jamaicensis Buteo avoid disturbing nesting pairs, and and pairs, nesting disturbing avoid Bay Regional Park District District Park Regional Bay
Hawks allow them to fly swiftly through dense dense through swiftly fly to them allow Hawks
and rock-climbers can take care to to care take can rock-climbers and Red-tailed Hawk Hawk Red-tailed protected open spaces of the East East the of spaces open protected
long tails of the Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned the of tails long
electrical towers. Photographers Photographers towers. electrical for many visitors to the parks. The The parks. the to visitors many for
The short, rounded wings, slender bodies, and and bodies, slender wings, rounded short, The
placed above high voltage voltage high above placed the sight of one of these large birds is a thrill thrill a is birds large these of one of sight the
raptors, as do perches perches do as raptors, Length: ng Span: ng Wi Length: Span: ng Wi 9-13” birder, experienced an to nature of wonders 28-34” 14-20” 20-26”
minimize the risk to to risk the minimize cooperii Accipiter striatus Accipiter the discover to beginning just child a From
Cooper’s Hawk Cooper’s Hawk Sharp-shinned Photo: Lee Greengrass Malleck Photo: Mary hawk! a – Look Peregrine Falcon Peregrine
Common Raptors Bald Eagle Crumpler Marc Photo: Golden Eagle Crumpler Marc Photo: Haliaeetus leucocephalus Aquila chrysaetos in the East Bay Length: 27-35” Wing Span: 71-89” Length: 40” Wing Span: 88” Huge, with a striking white head and tail, the The East Bay has the highest density of nesting Regional Park District 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605 bald eagle in adult plumage is probably one of golden eagles anywhere in the world. This eagle the most widely recognized birds on the planet. can often be seen at close range cruising low 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757 (TRS 711) Primarily a fish eater, this majestic “sea-eagle” over the hilly open grasslands that make up its ebparks.org also frequently dines on carrion (including marine preferred habitat in search of rabbits, ground mammals and deer). Notorious for snatching fish squirrels and other small mammals. With a from osprey, they also catch their own waterfowl wingspan that can exceed seven feet, the golden Visitor Centers and mammals as large as raccoons. Re-used year eagle is hard to mistake for another bird. Adults Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont after year, their sturdy stick nests can measure are dark overall, with blonde-gold feathers at 510-544-2797, [email protected] up to 10 feet across. Once ravaged by the effects the nape behind the head. Immature birds show of DDT, the bald eagle population has made such prominent white patches in the wings and tail. Big Break Regional Shoreline, Oakley a striking comeback that they were removed Golden eagles are famous for their spectacular Big Break Visitor Center at the Delta 510-544-3050, [email protected] from the U.S. Endangered Species list in 2007. flight acrobatics during courtship, and most pairs Migrating bald eagles are occasionally seen along mate for life. Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Antioch the shores of San Francisco Bay, but for a more 510-544-2750, [email protected] reliable sighting, head to Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont Lake Del Valle or Lake 510-544-3220, [email protected] Chabot, where nesting Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda pairs have become Northern Harrier Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium more frequent in 510-544-3187, [email protected] recent years. Circus cyaneus Del Valle Regional Park, Livermore Length: 18” Wing Span: 43” 510-544-3146, [email protected] One of the easiest hawks to identify in flight, the Open summer weekends northern harrier or “marsh hawk” often flies very Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Parks, Hayward low, tilting side-to-side as it cruises over marsh and 510-544-3220 (Coyote Hills), [email protected] meadow. The female is larger and brown, while Open summer weekends the smaller male is gray with black wing tips. Both Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness, Sunol sport a distinctive white rump-patch, which can 510-544-3249, [email protected] be spotted from a ¼ mile away. This raptor hunts Open weekends only by sound as well as sight, aided by a facial disk, (a circular ridge of feathering around the face) similar Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley Botanic Garden: 510-544-3169, [email protected] to owls, which helps direct sound waves toward Tilden Nature Area/Environmental Education Center its ears. Nesting usually occurs on the ground in a 510-544-2233, [email protected] carefully guarded patch of dense vegetation.
Regional Parks Membership enjoy free day-use parking, swimming, dog pass, and more. 510-544-2220 regionalparksfoundation.org
On the cover: Red-tailed hawk Photo: Dennis Stanworth
Other photos courtesy Jerry Ting unless otherwise noted. Bugs 20200828 Photo: Davor Desancic Davor Photo: go here
Common Raptors Brochure 2020-08.indd 2 1/5/21 10:00 AM
pounce on mice, small birds, snakes, and frogs. and snakes, birds, small mice, on pounce
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 0547152701 ISBN: Harcourt. Mifflin Houghton alternative to poisons. New wind turbine designs designs turbine wind New poisons. to alternative Red-shouldered Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed
red-shouldered waits and watches, ready to to ready watches, and waits red-shouldered
Peterson, Roger Tory. 2010. Tory. Roger Peterson, Edition America, 4 America, sinkers, and simple rat traps are a raptor-friendly raptor-friendly a are traps rat simple and sinkers,
th
they defend their territory. A perch-hunter, the the perch-hunter, A territory. their defend they
terson Field Guide to Birds of Western North North Western of Birds to Guide Field terson Pe • • fishing can be enjoyed without using lead shot or or shot lead using without enjoyed be can fishing
quite vocal, producing loud shrieking calls as as calls shrieking loud producing vocal, quite
can be prevented or mitigated. Hunting and and Hunting mitigated. or prevented be can
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN-10: 0544018443 ISBN-10: Harcourt. Mifflin Houghton of green leaves. Nesting pairs become become pairs Nesting leaves. green of
Fortunately, many of these human-caused factors factors human-caused these of many Fortunately, V Dunne, Pete. 2017. 2017. Pete. Dunne, America North of ultures
are often “decorated” with a spray spray a with “decorated” often are
Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and and Falcons, Eagles, Hawks, Prey: of Birds •
year after year by both adults and and adults both by year after year harassment. harassment.
Books
stick nests are refurbished for use use for refurbished are nests stick turbines, as well as illegal trapping, shooting, and and shooting, trapping, illegal as well as turbines,
at allaboutbirds.org or an app store. store. app an or allaboutbirds.org at riparian woods and eucalyptus groves. Their large large Their groves. eucalyptus and woods riparian more collisions with autos, power lines, and wind wind and lines, power autos, with collisions more
Ornithology.) Free instant bird identification identification bird instant Free Ornithology.) spotted in forested areas such as oak woodlands, woodlands, oak as such areas forested in spotted a growing concern. Increasing urbanization brings brings urbanization Increasing concern. growing a
Me (Cornell Laboratory of of Laboratory (Cornell ID Bird rlin • and white banded tail. This colorful hawk is often often is hawk colorful This tail. banded white and sites. Poisoning from lead shot and rat poisons is is poisons rat and shot lead from Poisoning sites.
blackish wings with white spotting, and a black black a and spotting, white with wings blackish affecting the availability of prey or suitable nesting nesting suitable or prey of availability the affecting and abundance. See ebird.org or an app store. app an or ebird.org See abundance. and
A free online database of bird distribution distribution bird of database online free A Bird e • shouldered hawk has rufous-orange underparts, underparts, rufous-orange has hawk shouldered happens when we build on or near natural areas, areas, natural near or on build we when happens
Mobile Apps Mobile Smaller than the red-tailed hawk, the red- the hawk, red-tailed the than Smaller face threats to their survival. Habitat loss loss Habitat survival. their to threats face
sufficiency? But even the most powerful raptors raptors powerful most the even But sufficiency? Additional Resources Additional
Length: Length: ng Span: ng Wi 15-19” 37-42”
have come to symbolize freedom and self- and freedom symbolize to come have
Buteo lineatus Buteo
Is it any wonder that these magnificent animals animals magnificent these that wonder any it Is
sexual size dimorphism. size sexual Red-shouldered Hawk Hawk Red-shouldered
of their meals. meals. their of male counterparts, a condition known as reverse reverse as known condition a counterparts, male
as well as to soar, dive, glide, and hover in pursuit pursuit in hover and glide, dive, soar, to as well as female raptors are considerably larger than their their than larger considerably are raptors female
wings that allow them to migrate long distances, distances, long migrate to them allow that wings tip and wing span are listed as a range, since most most since range, a as listed are span wing and tip - Squared tail Squared - - Rounded tail Rounded -
Raptors are also masters of flight, with powerful powerful with flight, of masters also are Raptors Measurements of body length from bill tip to tail tail to tip bill from length body of Measurements - Smaller head Smaller - - Larger protruding head protruding Larger -
Latin, or scientific, names of the birds in italics. italics. in birds the of names scientific, or Latin,
Sharp-shinned Hawk Sharp-shinned Coopers Hawk Coopers habitat with plentiful perches. plentiful with habitat
in the air. the in
Following the common names in bold print are the the are print bold in names common the Following
reptiles, and amphibians, and prefer to hunt in open open in hunt to prefer and amphibians, and reptiles, ceptional vision for locating prey from high high from prey locating for vision ceptional Ex •
Red-tails prey on small mammals, as well as birds, birds, as well as mammals, small on prey Red-tails excellent ways to expand your knowledge. knowledge. your expand to ways excellent
the state as “species of special concern.” special of “species as state the
through flesh. through
which can fool even an experienced hawk watcher. watcher. hawk experienced an even fool can which District naturalists and local Audubon chapters are are chapters Audubon local and naturalists District
Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawk are listed by by listed are Hawk Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned
avy, hooked bills for tearing and cutting cutting and tearing for bills hooked avy, He •
although many jays can produce an imitation call call imitation an produce can jays many although and guided walks offered by East Bay Regional Park Park Regional Bay East by offered walks guided and with the wings when seen from below. Both the the Both below. from seen when wings the with
grasping and piercing. and grasping
The majestic scream of this hawk is also distinctive, distinctive, also is hawk this of scream majestic The guides, phone apps (see “Additional Resources”), Resources”), “Additional (see apps phone guides, squared-edged tail, and a small head that is in line line in is that head small a and tail, squared-edged
• • rong feet with claws called talons for for talons called claws with feet rong St
rather than the distinctive rusty-red tail of the adult. adult. the of tail rusty-red distinctive the than rather in identifying our most common raptors. Field Field raptors. common most our identifying in “Sharpie” appears delicate, with twig-like legs, a a legs, twig-like with delicate, appears “Sharpie”
a brown and white banded tail during its first year, year, first its during tail banded white and brown a The following descriptions will get you started started you get will descriptions following The animals, sometimes in mid-air! These include: include: These mid-air! in sometimes animals, of the wings in flight. The smaller, dove-sized dove-sized smaller, The flight. in wings the of
to identify even the immature red-tailed, which has has which red-tailed, immature the even identify to
features that allow them to catch and eat other other eat and catch to them allow that features tail, and its large, blocky head projects forward forward projects head blocky large, its and tail,
concern for their protection. their for concern
band stands out beneath its white bib. This helps helps This bib. white its beneath out stands band
raptors are predatory birds with specialized specialized with birds predatory are raptors Hawk (see photo) is larger, has a rounded rounded a has larger, is photo) (see Hawk
developing an appreciation for wild things leads to to leads things wild for appreciation an developing
and fence poles where its distinctive brown belly- brown distinctive its where poles fence and
From the Latin “rapere”, meaning “to seize”, seize”, “to meaning “rapere”, Latin the From between the two species. The Cooper’s Cooper’s The species. two the between
your enthusiasm with others is important too, as as too, important is others with enthusiasm your
widespread, this large hawk often perches on utility utility on perches often hawk large this widespread,
along with size, help birdwatchers distinguish distinguish birdwatchers help size, with along
birds of prey in your parks and sharing sharing and parks your in prey of birds and falcons, collectively known as raptors. as known collectively falcons, and
on-ramp? Probably a red-tailed hawk. Common and and Common hawk. red-tailed a Probably on-ramp?
Subtle differences in head and tail shape, shape, tail and head in differences Subtle
of open spaces. Learning about the the about Learning spaces. open of prey, including eagles, hawks, owls, owls, hawks, eagles, including prey,
That hawk you see every morning at the freeway freeway the at morning every see you hawk That
songbirds from suburban backyard bird feeders. feeders. bird backyard suburban from songbirds
water, clean air, and conservation conservation and air, clean water, for a wide variety of birds of of birds of variety wide a for
birds. Both species sometimes snatch unwary unwary snatch sometimes species Both birds. Length: ng Span: ng Wi
18-25” 46-58” all of us can advocate for clean clean for advocate can us of all provide important habitat habitat important provide
forests in pursuit of their preferred prey: small small prey: preferred their of pursuit in forests
Buteo jamaicensis Buteo avoid disturbing nesting pairs, and and pairs, nesting disturbing avoid Bay Regional Park District District Park Regional Bay
Hawks allow them to fly swiftly through dense dense through swiftly fly to them allow Hawks
and rock-climbers can take care to to care take can rock-climbers and Red-tailed Hawk Hawk Red-tailed protected open spaces of the East East the of spaces open protected
long tails of the Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned the of tails long
electrical towers. Photographers Photographers towers. electrical for many visitors to the parks. The The parks. the to visitors many for
The short, rounded wings, slender bodies, and and bodies, slender wings, rounded short, The
placed above high voltage voltage high above placed the sight of one of these large birds is a thrill thrill a is birds large these of one of sight the
raptors, as do perches perches do as raptors, Length: ng Span: ng Wi Length: Span: ng Wi 9-13” birder, experienced an to nature of wonders 28-34” 14-20” 20-26”
minimize the risk to to risk the minimize cooperii Accipiter striatus Accipiter the discover to beginning just child a From
Cooper’s Hawk Cooper’s Hawk Sharp-shinned Photo: Lee Greengrass Malleck Photo: Mary hawk! a – Look Peregrine Falcon Peregrine
Common Raptors Bald Eagle Crumpler Marc Photo: Golden Eagle Crumpler Marc Photo: Haliaeetus leucocephalus Aquila chrysaetos in the East Bay Length: 27-35” Wing Span: 71-89” Length: 40” Wing Span: 88” Huge, with a striking white head and tail, the The East Bay has the highest density of nesting Regional Park District 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605 bald eagle in adult plumage is probably one of golden eagles anywhere in the world. This eagle the most widely recognized birds on the planet. can often be seen at close range cruising low 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757 (TRS 711) Primarily a fish eater, this majestic “sea-eagle” over the hilly open grasslands that make up its ebparks.org also frequently dines on carrion (including marine preferred habitat in search of rabbits, ground mammals and deer). Notorious for snatching fish squirrels and other small mammals. With a from osprey, they also catch their own waterfowl wingspan that can exceed seven feet, the golden Visitor Centers and mammals as large as raccoons. Re-used year eagle is hard to mistake for another bird. Adults Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont after year, their sturdy stick nests can measure are dark overall, with blonde-gold feathers at 510-544-2797, [email protected] up to 10 feet across. Once ravaged by the effects the nape behind the head. Immature birds show of DDT, the bald eagle population has made such prominent white patches in the wings and tail. Big Break Regional Shoreline, Oakley a striking comeback that they were removed Golden eagles are famous for their spectacular Big Break Visitor Center at the Delta 510-544-3050, [email protected] from the U.S. Endangered Species list in 2007. flight acrobatics during courtship, and most pairs Migrating bald eagles are occasionally seen along mate for life. Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Antioch the shores of San Francisco Bay, but for a more 510-544-2750, [email protected] reliable sighting, head to Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont Lake Del Valle or Lake 510-544-3220, [email protected] Chabot, where nesting Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda pairs have become Northern Harrier Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium more frequent in 510-544-3187, [email protected] recent years. Circus cyaneus Del Valle Regional Park, Livermore Length: 18” Wing Span: 43” 510-544-3146, [email protected] One of the easiest hawks to identify in flight, the Open summer weekends northern harrier or “marsh hawk” often flies very Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Parks, Hayward low, tilting side-to-side as it cruises over marsh and 510-544-3220 (Coyote Hills), [email protected] meadow. The female is larger and brown, while Open summer weekends the smaller male is gray with black wing tips. Both Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness, Sunol sport a distinctive white rump-patch, which can 510-544-3249, [email protected] be spotted from a ¼ mile away. This raptor hunts Open weekends only by sound as well as sight, aided by a facial disk, (a circular ridge of feathering around the face) similar Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley Botanic Garden: 510-544-3169, [email protected] to owls, which helps direct sound waves toward Tilden Nature Area/Environmental Education Center its ears. Nesting usually occurs on the ground in a 510-544-2233, [email protected] carefully guarded patch of dense vegetation.
Regional Parks Membership enjoy free day-use parking, swimming, dog pass, and more. 510-544-2220 regionalparksfoundation.org
On the cover: Red-tailed hawk Photo: Dennis Stanworth
Other photos courtesy Jerry Ting unless otherwise noted. Bugs 20200828 Photo: Davor Desancic Davor Photo: go here
Common Raptors Brochure 2020-08.indd 2 1/5/21 10:00 AM Common Raptors in the East Bay Regional Park District Photo: Davor Desancic Davor Photo:
Turkey Vulture Osprey American Kestrel Prairie Falcon Peregrine Falcon Cathartes aura Pandion haliaetus Falco sparverius Falco mexicanus Falco peregrinus Length: 23-32” Wing Span: 55-63” Length: 21-26” Wing Span: 59-67” Length: 9-10” Wing Span: 21-22” Length: 14-18” Wing Span: 36-44” Length: 14-19.5” Wing Span: 38-44” Turkey vultures lack the strong feet of true Exclusively a fish eater, this large, strikingly No larger than a robin, the kestrel is our smallest The prairie falcon is the pale, inland counterpart Famous for its speed and hunting ability, the raptors and rarely kill their own food. Instead, handsome hawk is most often seen near lakes, North American falcon. A handsome bird, male of the more widespread peregrine falcon, which peregrine falcon’s ability to dive through the air they scavenge for carrion (dead animals), using rivers, or bays. The only raptor capable of diving kestrels have blue-grey wings and a single, broad it closely resembles in size and shape. Its muted at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour makes their keen sight and sense of smell on long flights completely underwater to capture its prey, the black band on a bright rusty tail. Females are rusty cream, brown, and grey colors blend closely with it the fastest animal in the world. Most often that often skim the treetops. During flight, the osprey has dense, oily feathers that repel water, brown with narrow dark bars all over, including the arid bluffs and rocky cliffs where it makes its encountered along shorelines, where they hunt wings are held at an up-tilted “V” angle and and a reversible outer toe on its large, spike- the tail. Both have boldly marked faces, including home. Look for the dark “armpits” below the ducks and shorebirds, they also frequently nest the two-toned, silver-black underwings are lined feet that ensures a snug hold on its slippery a vertical line or “mustache” below the eye. The wings on a prairie falcon as it cruises above open on tall buildings in urban areas where pigeons distinctive. The lack of feathers on their heads meal. Their long, crooked wings may assist in “sparrow hawk” is often found perched on utility grasslands hunting for the small mammals that are a mainstay of their diet. This striking bird makes them appear small-headed in comparison launching from the water, and, along with their lines in open areas, where it hunts for its prey, make up most of its diet. Falcon eggs are tapered sports a steely blue-gray helmet and dark back with other large, soaring birds, and at close range predominately white undersides and boldly which includes earthworms, grasshoppers, small at one end so that they will roll in a circle, an over mostly barred underparts. Still recovering the bare red flesh of the adult is conspicuous marked heads, make the “fish hawk” easy to birds, mice, and lizards. Like other falcons, they important feature for a bird that lays its eggs on a from near extinction prior to the banning of (Juvenile vultures have a dark gray head). identify. don’t build their own nests, but instead use a large rocky ledge high above the ground. DDT, the peregrine falcon is a reminder of the Widespread and common, you’re almost certain woodpecker hole, a secluded platform in a barn, unintended and disastrous consequences of the to see a turkey vulture riding the warm air or a niche on a rocky cliff. Formerly abundant, the overuse of pesticides on our wildlife. currents over any of our parklands. American kestrel population has declined rapidly since the 1980s for unknown reasons.
Photo: Jim Dunn White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Length: 15” Wing Span: 39-43” Barn Owl Burrowing Owl The pale coloring and graceful flight of the Tyto alba Athene cunicularia white-tailed kite make it one of our most Great-Horned Owl Length: 12-16” Length: 7.5-10” Wing Span: 21.5-24” elegant birds of prey. The striking black “shoulder” patches on the pale gray wings Bubo virginianus Wing Span: 39.5-49” One of the few owls likely to be seen during the are a key diagnostic feature, and at close Length: 18-25” Wing Span: 40-57” day, the burrowing owl can often be found standing As its name reflects, this owl has adapted range with binoculars, you will also notice on the ground next to its nest, an abandoned The large feather tufts and huge golden eyes of to living near humans by roosting and nesting in the kite’s ruby-red eyes. When hunting, ground squirrel burrow. Round-headed and long- the great-horned owl give our most widespread old barns and abandoned buildings. Its preferred kites hover watchfully until a rodent is legged, this small owl eats a variety of large insects owl a cat-like appearance. Small mammals such diet of rats, mice, and other small mammals make sighted. Then, in a rapid descent, the and small mammals as well as the occasional lizard as rabbits, mice, ground squirrels, and opossums it a welcome addition to many a farm or ranch, bird drops silently, feet-first onto or frog. As open spaces give way to strip malls and make up most of the diet of this nocturnal and some land owners erect wooden nest boxes its prey. Kites hunt mostly small housing developments, these charismatic birds hunter. One of the few predators to regularly especially for them to assist in rodent control. In rodents, like voles and field mice; have grown increasingly scarce, and are now listed dine on skunk, great-horned owls have a terrible suburban yards, look for golf ball-sized pellets of less frequently, large insects and by the state of California as a “species of special sense of smell, as you might have guessed. These regurgitated hair and bones at the base of palm lizards are taken. The white- concern.” Shoreline parks are the best places large owls nest early in the year, often taking trees, a preferred roosting site. The barn owl’s large, tailed kite is listed by the state to find burrowing owls in the East Bay, although over a used hawk nest, although tree holes, white facial disk contributes to their exceptional as a “fully protected species.” stumps, and caves are other options. Also known hearing, allowing it to locate prey in absolute they’re occasionally spotted on grassland-covered as the hoot owl, their deep hoo, hoo-hoo, hoo, darkness. Serrated feather margins allow barn owls hills farther inland. hoo calls carry far through the night. to fly silently, with only their eerie, screeching calls revealing their presence. Photo: Lee Greengrass Lee Photo:
Common Raptors Brochure 2020-08.indd 3 1/5/21 10:00 AM