DOCSLIB.ORG

Predators in Flight in This Program, We Explore the Majestic World of Birds of Prey, Including Eagles, Falcons, Vultures, Ospreys, Hawks, and More

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Predators in Flight in This Program, We Explore the Majestic World of Birds of Prey, Including Eagles, Falcons, Vultures, Ospreys, Hawks, and More Men’s Programs Predators in Flight In this program, we explore the majestic world of birds of prey, including eagles, falcons, vultures, ospreys, hawks, and more. Birds of prey are also called raptors. Together, we learn more about these fierce, predatory birds from their habits to their habitats, as well as their role in legends, folklore, history, and superstition. Preparation & How-To’s • This is a copy of the complete activity. • Print photos of birds of prey for participants to view or display them on a TV screen. • Print a large-print copy of this discussion activity for participants to follow along and take with them for further study. • Read the article aloud and encourage participants to ask questions. • Use Discussion Starters to encourage conversation about this topic. • Read the Birds of Prey Trivia Q & A and solicit answers from participants. • Check out the Additional Activity for more information about this topic. Predators in Flight Introduction Birds of prey, also known as raptors, include many species of avian predators that rule the skies. Found on every continent on Earth except Antarctica, these powerful birds possess enhanced senses and phenomenal speed. Raptor and human history have been intertwined for centuries, with some birds of prey considered evil or magical, while others are thought of as pests. In contrast, they have also been celebrated as sacred or served as human hunting partners. What Makes a Raptor Most birds of prey are members of the order Accipitriformes, which is made up of 250 species. The birds are divided into diurnal and nocturnal raptors. Diurnal raptors are from the family Accipitridae and are active during the day. This family of birds includes hawks, eagles, buzzards, and kites. Falcons, which are also day-time predators, have a slightly different DNA makeup that places them in a separate scientific classification, but for our purposes here, we will include them. Nocturnal birds of prey are owls, from the order Strigiformes, which boasts over 200 species of these solitary creatures. The term raptor is derived from the Latin word rapio, which means “to seize, grab, or take by force.” However, not all hunting birds are classified as birds of prey. Non-raptor meat-eaters include storks, herons, gulls, insect-eating songbirds, and penguins. ©ActivityConnection.com – Predators in Flight – Page 1 of 6 Raptors are distinguished from other carnivorous birds by their sharp curved beaks and deadly curved talons (also called claws) that are used for catching and killing prey. These predators use their exceptionally strong feet and sharp talons to grab, pierce, and rip apart their prey. Birds of prey are also unique from other carnivorous birds due to their superior hearing, sight, hunting skills, and flying ability. These majestic birds fly at incredible speeds, often silently or close to it. They soar through the sky, efficiently making the most of air currents to fly for incredible distances. They can also expertly zip between trees, branches, and other obstacles to reach their prey, which they are able to spot (or hear) from impressive distances. Most raptors have an average sight range of around one mile, but this varies by species. For example, hawks can see a mouse from 10 stories up. Eagles can spy a rabbit two miles away. That’s about eight times better than human sight. Discussion Starters • What are your experiences with raptors? Have you seen them in nature or at zoos? Share your interactions with these birds. • What are your thoughts about birds of prey? What’s for Dinner? Birds of prey eat a huge range of creatures, from rodents and reptiles to fish and carrion (dead animals). Hawks and Falcons We can thank hawks and falcons for helping to cull insect, rodent, and small bird populations. Without these birds of prey controlling the numbers of these creatures, overpopulation would be an issue that would affect the community ecology. Hawks often live in wooded areas. Their long tails help them aptly maneuver for quick turns and give them the ability to evade branches or other obstacles found in forests. They hunt by making quick, unexpected dashes at their prey. Falcons are medium-sized raptors that have long, tapered wings. Falcons that hover while hunting are called kestrels. They kill with a “tooth” on the sides of their beaks. They have excellent vision and rapid diving speeds that reach over 200 miles per hour—making them the fastest creatures on Earth. The peregrine falcon is the swiftest, with vertical dives clocking in at over 240 miles per hour. Vultures Most raptors will eat carrion in addition to live prey. However, for vultures, which in the Americas are also called buzzards, carrion is their main source of food. These scavenging birds include California condors and Andean condors found in the Americas, the white-rumped vultures of India, and the bearded vulture of Europe and Africa. The bearded vulture is unique among vertebrate animals in that its diet consists almost entirely of bone. The turkey vulture has a hole running through its beak so that you can see right through it. This unusual nostril opening lets it breathe through the hole, enabling the predator to take in air while beak-deep in a carcass. Also unique to the vulture is its powerful sense of smell, which it uses to sniff out food from extensive distances. They are one of few birds that have any ability to smell. ©ActivityConnection.com – Predators in Flight – Page 2 of 6 Kites Kites, which are characterized by their long wings and tails, spend much of their time soaring in the sky. They eat a wide range of foods, including invertebrate prey, insects, and carrion. These birds live in varied habitats across the world, from forests and grasslands to cities. The black kite is thought to be the world’s most prevalent raptor and is renowned for its unique ability to “eat on the wing.” This amazing talent allows them to grab prey out of the air and gobble it up while in flight. Another unique characteristic of these birds is that they are social animals and gather and roost in large flocks, unlike most birds of prey, which tend to live primarily alone or in pairs. The Harris’s hawk, also a social raptor, lives in groups, uses cooperative nests, and hunts as a team. Ospreys Ospreys, which have a four- to six-foot wingspan, are experts at fishing. Not only do they scoop fish out of the water, they dive right in and use their powerful wings to emerge and fly out of the water. Ospreys have closable nostrils to prevent water from getting in their lungs while hunting for fish. Like many birds of prey, ospreys also mate for life. Built to Kill Birds of prey are beautiful, graceful creatures. They are also built to kill. Let’s explore some of the evolutionary advantages that make them exceptional predators by looking specifically at eagles and owls. Eagles These massive birds have long, broad wings and large feet. There are dozens of species of eagles, not all of which are closely related. These majestic birds can be found across the Americas, Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. Eagles have heavy, hooked beaks and strong, powerful legs and feet. These features help them rip flesh off their prey. Their very large, evenly balanced wings give them an enhanced flying ability, enabling them to fly at extraordinary speeds and quickly zero in on their next meals. Eagles are apex predators, which means they live at the top of the food chain. They have no natural predators. Other examples of apex or alpha predators include lions, crocodiles, and wolves. Eagles are fierce, even at birth. There are normally 1–3 eggs in a clutch. The largest eaglet often acts aggressively toward its siblings and sometimes kills them. The parents make no move to stop such attacks. Eagles can carry an exceptionally heavy weight while flying. For example, the bald eagle has been known to fly carrying a fawn. Eagles are also able to kill prey that outweighs them. When their dinner is too heavy to fly to their nests, called aeries, eagles will either eat the meal onsite or rip it apart and transport it in pieces. ©ActivityConnection.com – Predators in Flight – Page 3 of 6 Discussion Starters • Do you enjoy watching birds? Which species do you like best? • Have you ever gone birding? If so, share your experiences. • If you could be any bird of prey, which one would you choose? And why? Owls Among many other extraordinary features, an owl’s eyes give it an advantage on its prey. Their eyes are fixed in place, so they can’t move their eyes to see something. Instead, they move their heads. Luckily, an owl’s neck can rotate up to 270 degrees to help them see a greater range of their surroundings. Those immobile eyes aid in enhanced night vision, depth perception, and distance vision, which is estimated at approximately eight times the strength of human vision. The northern hawk owl is known to spy prey up to a half-mile away. Additionally, having two eyes on the front of the face allows for stereovision, or three-dimensional vision. Owl’s flat faces act similarly to satellites to enhance hearing as do their ears. The often-asymmetrical ears allow owls to better pinpoint the exact position a noise is coming from. Owls also have specialized feathers and wing shape to dampen the noise of flying, allowing them to stealthily surprise their prey. Their excellent hearing also aids in their deadly hunting ability. Being able to hear and zero in on even the faintest rustle or scurry of tiny feet beneath mounds of snow or underbrush gives them deadly accuracy.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Griffon Vultures &Lpar;<I>Gyps Fulvus</I>&Rpar; Ingesting Bones At
    SEPTEMBER1997 LETTERS 287 AravaipaCreek, Arizona. Almost immediatelyat leastsix Elf Owls beganvocalizing from dispersedlocations around our campsiteand at leastfour of them began making low passesat the Great Horned Owl. Before we could relocate the horned owl to a protectedenclosure, it wasstruck once in the head by an Elf Owl. Some nocturnal behaviorsmay not be well known or understood,not becausethey are rare, but becausethey are difficult to observe.This may changewith the increasedavailability of night vision equipment (P. Henson and J A Cooper 1994, Auk 111:1013-1018). Currently, observationsof nocturnal behaviorsare likely to be sporadicand anecdotal,and therefore unreported. Such information, however,may help in understandinga speciesbiology. For example, other researchershave observedgroup mobbing by Elf Owls (F.R. Gehlbach,pers. comm.; B.A. Millsap, pers. comm.), but there are no publishedreports of the behavior.Our observations,and thoseof other researchers, suggestthat Elf Owlswill join together in mobbing and that they can be physicallyaggressive when defending their nestsagainst predators. We thank A. Duerr, T.S. Estabrookand R.L. Spauldingfor assistingwith the observations.We alsothank T. Brush, ER. Gehlbach, R. Glinski, P. Hardy, B.A. Millsap, G. Proudfoot and H.A. Snyder for sharing their observational information concerning mobbing by small owls.This manuscriptbenefitted from the constructivereviews of ER. Gehlbach,C. Marti, B.A. Millsapand an anonymousreviewer.--Clint W. Boal, Brent D. Biblesand R. William Mannan, Schoolof RenewableNatural Resources,University of Arizona, Tucson,AZ 85721 U.S•. j. RaptorRes. 31 (3):287-288 ¸ 1997 The Raptor ResearchFoundation, Inc. GRIFFONVULTURES (GYPS FULVUS) INGESTING BONES AT THE OSSUARIESOF BEARDEDVULTURES ( GYPAETUSBAR•ATUS) Some African vulturesovercome the calcium deficiencyin their diets by ingestingbone fragments,and are depen- dent on the presenceof largepredators to supplythem (Mundy and Ledger 1976, S.
    [Show full text]
  • BEARDED VULTURE POPULATION and HABITAT VIABILITY ASSESSMENT (Gypaetus Barbatus Meridionalis)
    BEARDED VULTURE POPULATION AND HABITAT VIABILITY ASSESSMENT (Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis) Sterkfontein Dam, Harrismith, Free State Province, South Africa 6 - 10 March 2006 BEARDED VULTURE (Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis) POPULATION AND HABITAT VIABILITY ASSESSMENT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 6 - 10 March 2006 WORKSHOP REPORT Convened by: CONSERVATION BREEDING SPECIALIST GROUP SOUTHERN AFRICA ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST EZEMVELO KWAZULU-NATAL WILDLIFE Sponsored by: Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Project In collaboration with THE CONSERVATION BREEDING SPECIALIST GROUP (CBSG) OF THE IUCN SPECIES SURVIVAL COMMISSION Population and Habitat Viability Assessment: Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis) 1 © Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG-SSC / IUCN) and the Endangered Wildlife Trust. The copyright of the report serves to protect the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group workshop process from any unauthorised use. Krüger, S., Piper, S., Rushworth, I., Botha, A., Daly, B., Allan, D., Jenkins, A., Burden, D. and Friedmann, Y. (editors). 2006. Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis) Population and Habitat Viability Assessment Workshop Report. Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (SSC / IUCN) / CBSG Southern Africa. Endangered Wildlife Trust, Johannesburg. The CBSG, SSC and IUCN encourage workshops and other fora for the consideration and analysis of issues related to conservation, and believe that reports of these meetings are most useful when broadly disseminated. The opinions and recommendations expressed in this report
    [Show full text]
  • Disaggregation of Bird Families Listed on Cms Appendix Ii
    Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals 2nd Meeting of the Sessional Committee of the CMS Scientific Council (ScC-SC2) Bonn, Germany, 10 – 14 July 2017 UNEP/CMS/ScC-SC2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II (Prepared by the Appointed Councillors for Birds) Summary: The first meeting of the Sessional Committee of the Scientific Council identified the adoption of a new standard reference for avian taxonomy as an opportunity to disaggregate the higher-level taxa listed on Appendix II and to identify those that are considered to be migratory species and that have an unfavourable conservation status. The current paper presents an initial analysis of the higher-level disaggregation using the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World Volumes 1 and 2 taxonomy, and identifies the challenges in completing the analysis to identify all of the migratory species and the corresponding Range States. The document has been prepared by the COP Appointed Scientific Councilors for Birds. This is a supplementary paper to COP document UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.3 on Taxonomy and Nomenclature UNEP/CMS/ScC-Sc2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II 1. Through Resolution 11.19, the Conference of Parties adopted as the standard reference for bird taxonomy and nomenclature for Non-Passerine species the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, Volume 1: Non-Passerines, by Josep del Hoyo and Nigel J. Collar (2014); 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Turkey Vulture AKA: Turkey Buzzard, Buzzard, Vulture, Carrion Crow, Carrion Buzzard, Etc
    Turkey Vulture AKA: Turkey Buzzard, Buzzard, Vulture, Carrion Crow, Carrion Buzzard, etc. Scientific Classification: Animalia, Chordata, Aves, Incertae sedis (disputed), Cathartidae; Cathartes; C. aura. Bird Size & Markings: Adult Turkey Vultures can be 32” long, stand 30” high and have 6 foot wingspans. Males and females have brownish-black body plum- age, silvery-gray flight feathers, bare red heads and a short yellow hooked bill. Turkey Vultures have very limited vocalization; it can only hiss or grunt. Habitat: The Turkey Vulture is the most abundant vulture in the Americas. It is commonly found in open and semi-open areas throughout the Americas from southern Canada to Cape Horn. It is a permanent resident in southern US States, though northern birds may migrate as far as South America. It prefers to roost on tall dead trees or high bare cliffs. It will roost on man-made structures such as water towers, skyscrapers, billboards and other structures of sufficient height. Nesting/Dens: There is little or no construction of a nest; eggs are laid on bare surfaces in protected locations such as a cliff, cave, burrow or inside a hollow A Turkey Vulture’s primary method of defence tree. They lay 1 or 2 eggs for each brood. Chicks fledge 9 to 10 weeks after hatch- is the projection vomiting of semi-digested car- ing. Family groups stay together until fall. rion. This deters most attackers (No doubt!). Food: Turkey Vultures prefer to feed on fresh carrion ranging in size from small mammals and dead fish to dead cattle and other grazers. They prefer fresh car- rion and avoid rotting carcasses.
    [Show full text]
  • A Snail Kite's Delight
    Marsh Trail - Photo by Arthur Jacoby A Snail Kite’s Delight Naturalist Observations of The Marsh Trail Impoundments By Bradley Rosendorf, Education and Outreach Associate A hike around the Marsh Trail impoundments provides opportunities for Refuge guests to observe a stunning array of unique Everglades wildlife. The Refuge is an ecological gem and one of the precious jewels of the National Wildlife Refuge System. On the Marsh Trail, visitors regularly observe species such as the American alligator, white- Bradley tailed deer, Everglade Snail Kite, Sandhill Crane, Wood Stork, Glossy Ibis, Limpkin, Purple Gallinule, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Red- shouldered Hawk and Roseate Spoonbill. There seems to be a big increase in Roseate Spoonbill activity in the area this year! In the fall and winter months, Northern Harriers can be seen, and in the spring and summer, Swallow-tailed Sandhill Cranes - David Kendall Kites are observed. Bald Eagles can also be seen, but they are very elusive. Florida bobcats are sometimes seen stalking the water’s edge for a bird to catch for dinner. The Roseate Spoonbill - Bradley sunsets are a magical sight to behold – in the Real Everglades of Palm Beach County. Every hike on the Marsh Trail offers the possibility of a surprise. At the Refuge, people from all throughout the community unite to support wildlife conservation and be inspired in nature. The Marsh Trail impoundments include 7.6 miles of hiking trail as well as the LILA area – Loxahatchee Impoundment Research Assessment – where you can learn about tree islands and Everglades restoration collaborative research. While hiking through the Marsh Trail impoundments, you can experience an Everglades landscape and habitat that reflects the greater River of Grass ecosystem.
    [Show full text]
  • Lappet-Faced Vultures Studies at Mahazat As Syed Protected
    Status of Vultures in the Middle East with detailed studies of Lappet-faced and Griffon Vultures in Saudi Arabia Mohammed Shobrak Biology Department, Taif University, Saudi Wildlife Authority, Saudi Arabia Content of the Presentation •Vultures in the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula • Status & Trend & • Griffon Vultures • Lappet-faced Vultures Studies in KSA •Threats •Conclusion and Recommendations Vultures Recoded in the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula ØBearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus (Rare Breeding) ØEgyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus (Breeding) ØGriffon Vulture Gyps fulvus (Breeding) ØLappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus (Breeding) ØCinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus (the majority are Migratory) ØRüppell’s Vulture Gpys rueppellii (Meinertzhagen 1945) The majority of the Middle Eastern populations are migratory (winter visitor and passing migrants), with small breeding populations in Iran and Turkey. Cinereous Vulture is a winter visitor to the Arabian Peninsula, concentrated at northern, central and eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. IUCN Red List Species Status at the Population Status Scientific Name Status International (Trend) Global / Reginal Agreement Aegypius monachus CITES II, CMS II, EU WV (Linnaeus, 1758) NT/NT WTR (A), Raptor MoU 1 Decreasing Middle Eastern populations extend from SW Iran into much of Turkey, with more isolated populations in Yemen and SW Saudi Arabia The bearded vulture was a rare resident and now probably no longer breeds in Saudi Arabia, and probably in Yemen (50 breeding pairs were
    [Show full text]
  • A Multi-Gene Phylogeny of Aquiline Eagles (Aves: Accipitriformes) Reveals Extensive Paraphyly at the Genus Level
    Available online at www.sciencedirect.com MOLECULAR SCIENCE•NCE /W\/Q^DIRI DIRECT® PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION ELSEVIER Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 35 (2005) 147-164 www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev A multi-gene phylogeny of aquiline eagles (Aves: Accipitriformes) reveals extensive paraphyly at the genus level Andreas J. Helbig'^*, Annett Kocum'^, Ingrid Seibold^, Michael J. Braun^ '^ Institute of Zoology, University of Greifswald, Vogelwarte Hiddensee, D-18565 Kloster, Germany Department of Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 4210 Silver Hill Rd., Suitland, MD 20746, USA Received 19 March 2004; revised 21 September 2004 Available online 24 December 2004 Abstract The phylogeny of the tribe Aquilini (eagles with fully feathered tarsi) was investigated using 4.2 kb of DNA sequence of one mito- chondrial (cyt b) and three nuclear loci (RAG-1 coding region, LDH intron 3, and adenylate-kinase intron 5). Phylogenetic signal was highly congruent and complementary between mtDNA and nuclear genes. In addition to single-nucleotide variation, shared deletions in nuclear introns supported one basal and two peripheral clades within the Aquilini. Monophyly of the Aquilini relative to other birds of prey was confirmed. However, all polytypic genera within the tribe, Spizaetus, Aquila, Hieraaetus, turned out to be non-monophyletic. Old World Spizaetus and Stephanoaetus together appear to be the sister group of the rest of the Aquilini. Spiza- stur melanoleucus and Oroaetus isidori axe nested among the New World Spizaetus species and should be merged with that genus. The Old World 'Spizaetus' species should be assigned to the genus Nisaetus (Hodgson, 1836). The sister species of the two spotted eagles (Aquila clanga and Aquila pomarina) is the African Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis).
    [Show full text]
  • Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge BIRD LIST
    Merrritt Island National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service P.O. Box 2683 Titusville, FL 32781 http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Merritt_Island 321/861 0669 Visitor Center Merritt Island U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD National Wildlife Refuge March 2019 Bird List photo: James Lyon Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, located just Seasonal Occurrences east of Titusville, shares a common boundary with the SP - Spring - March, April, May John F. Kennedy Space Center. Its coastal location, SU - Summer - June, July, August tropic-like climate, and wide variety of habitat types FA - Fall - September, October, November contribute to Merritt Island’s diverse bird population. WN - Winter - December, January, February The Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee lists 521 species of birds statewide. To date, 359 You may see some species outside the seasons indicated species have been identified on the refuge. on this checklist. This phenomenon is quite common for many birds. However, the checklist is designed to Of special interest are breeding populations of Bald indicate the general trend of migration and seasonal Eagles, Brown Pelicans, Roseate Spoonbills, Reddish abundance for each species and, therefore, does not Egrets, and Mottled Ducks. Spectacular migrations account for unusual occurrences. of passerine birds, especially warblers, occur during spring and fall. In winter tens of thousands of Abundance Designation waterfowl may be seen. Eight species of herons and C – Common - These birds are present in large egrets are commonly observed year-round. numbers, are widespread, and should be seen if you look in the correct habitat. Tips on Birding A good field guide and binoculars provide the basic U – Uncommon - These birds are present, but because tools useful in the observation and identification of of their low numbers, behavior, habitat, or distribution, birds.
    [Show full text]
  • Tinamiformes – Falconiformes
    LIST OF THE 2,008 BIRD SPECIES (WITH SCIENTIFIC AND ENGLISH NAMES) KNOWN FROM THE A.O.U. CHECK-LIST AREA. Notes: "(A)" = accidental/casualin A.O.U. area; "(H)" -- recordedin A.O.U. area only from Hawaii; "(I)" = introducedinto A.O.U. area; "(N)" = has not bred in A.O.U. area but occursregularly as nonbreedingvisitor; "?" precedingname = extinct. TINAMIFORMES TINAMIDAE Tinamus major Great Tinamou. Nothocercusbonapartei Highland Tinamou. Crypturellus soui Little Tinamou. Crypturelluscinnamomeus Thicket Tinamou. Crypturellusboucardi Slaty-breastedTinamou. Crypturellus kerriae Choco Tinamou. GAVIIFORMES GAVIIDAE Gavia stellata Red-throated Loon. Gavia arctica Arctic Loon. Gavia pacifica Pacific Loon. Gavia immer Common Loon. Gavia adamsii Yellow-billed Loon. PODICIPEDIFORMES PODICIPEDIDAE Tachybaptusdominicus Least Grebe. Podilymbuspodiceps Pied-billed Grebe. ?Podilymbusgigas Atitlan Grebe. Podicepsauritus Horned Grebe. Podicepsgrisegena Red-neckedGrebe. Podicepsnigricollis Eared Grebe. Aechmophorusoccidentalis Western Grebe. Aechmophorusclarkii Clark's Grebe. PROCELLARIIFORMES DIOMEDEIDAE Thalassarchechlororhynchos Yellow-nosed Albatross. (A) Thalassarchecauta Shy Albatross.(A) Thalassarchemelanophris Black-browed Albatross. (A) Phoebetriapalpebrata Light-mantled Albatross. (A) Diomedea exulans WanderingAlbatross. (A) Phoebastriaimmutabilis Laysan Albatross. Phoebastrianigripes Black-lootedAlbatross. Phoebastriaalbatrus Short-tailedAlbatross. (N) PROCELLARIIDAE Fulmarus glacialis Northern Fulmar. Pterodroma neglecta KermadecPetrel. (A) Pterodroma
    [Show full text]
  • Bald Eagle Haliaeetus Leucocephalus
    Wyoming Species Account Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus REGULATORY STATUS USFWS: Delisted; Migratory Bird USFS R2: Sensitive USFS R4: Sensitive Wyoming BLM: Sensitive State of Wyoming: Protected Bird CONSERVATION RANKS USFWS: Bird of Conservation Concern WGFD: NSS3 (Bb), Tier II WYNDD: G5, S4B/S5N Wyoming Contribution: LOW IUCN: Least Concern PIF Continental Concern Score: 9 STATUS AND RANK COMMENTS Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is provided international protection under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, as amended 1. In 1940, Bald Eagle was provided protection under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act 2. In 1966, the southern subspecies was listed as federally endangered under the Endangered Species Preservation Act; the entire population in the contiguous United States was listed as endangered in 1978 under the 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA). A significant increase in numbers of nesting pairs, productivity, and distribution allowed Bald Eagle to be reclassified from Endangered to Threatened in 1995 under the ESA 3. Bald Eagle was delisted in 2007, and numbers are considered to be stable to increasing across its range 4. The species has been assigned different state conservation ranks by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database for the breeding season and nonbreeding season because the abundance of the species is different between seasons. NATURAL HISTORY Taxonomy: Bald Eagle is a member of the family Accipitridae, which includes kites, eagles, harriers, and hawks 5. There are two subspecies of Bald Eagle; H. l. alascanus is found north of 40 degrees latitude across North America, including Wyoming, while H. l. leucocephalus is found south of 40 degrees latitude in the Gulf coast states 6.
    [Show full text]
  • Birds of Prey (Accipitriformes and Falconiformes) of Serra De Itabaiana National Park, Northeastern Brazil
    Acta Brasiliensis 4(3): 156-160, 2020 Original Article http://revistas.ufcg.edu.br/ActaBra http://dx.doi.org/10.22571/2526-4338416 Birds of prey (Accipitriformes and Falconiformes) of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, Northeastern Brazil Cleverton da Silvaa* i , Cristiano Schetini de Azevedob i , Juan Ruiz-Esparzac i , Adauto de Souza d i Ribeiro h a Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracajú, São Cristóvão, 49100-100, Sergipe, Brasil. *[email protected] b Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, 35400-000, Minas Gerais, Brasil. c Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Nossa Senhora da Glória, 49680-000, Sergipe, Brasil. d Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracajú, São Cristóvão, 49100-100, Sergipe, Brasil. Received: June 20, 2020 / Accepted: August 27, 2020/ Published online: September 28, 2020 Abstract Birds of prey are important for maintaining ecosystems, since they can regulate the populations of vertebrates and invertebrates. However, anthropic activities, like habitat fragmentation, have been decreasing the number of birds of prey, affecting the habitat ecological relations and, decreasing biodiversity. Our objective was to evaluate species of birds of prey (Accipitriformes and Falconiformes) in a protected area of the Atlantic forest in northeastern Brazil. The area was sampled for 17 months using fixed points and walking along a pre-existing trail. Birds of prey were classified by their Punctual Abundance Index, threat status and forest dependence. Sixteen birds of prey were recorded, being the most common Rupornis magnirostris and Caracara plancus. Most species were considered rare in the area and not dependent of forest vegetation.
    [Show full text]
  • Ferruginous Hawk Buteo Regalis
    Wyoming Species Account Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis REGULATORY STATUS USFWS: Listing Denied; Migratory Bird USFS R2: Sensitive USFS R4: No special status Wyoming BLM: Sensitive State of Wyoming: Protected Bird CONSERVATION RANKS USFWS: Bird of Conservation Concern WGFD: NSS4 (Cb), Tier II WYNDD: G4, S4S5B/S3N Wyoming Contribution: MEDIUM IUCN: Least Concern PIF Continental Concern Score: 11 STATUS AND RANK COMMENTS Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) was petitioned for protection under the Federal Endangered Species Act in 1991 but was denied listing based on lack of evidence 1. The Wyoming Natural Diversity Database has assigned Ferruginous Hawk a state breeding conservation rank ranging from S4 (Apparently Secure) to S5 (Secure) because of uncertainty about the abundance and population trends of the species in Wyoming. Additionally, Ferruginous Hawk is assigned a different state conservation rank in the non-breeding season due to much lower abundance and proportion of area occupied in the state in the winter. NATURAL HISTORY Taxonomy: Ferruginous Hawk is monotypic. No subspecies are currently recognized 2. Description: Identification of Ferruginous Hawk is possible in the field. Ferruginous Hawk is the largest North American hawk in the genus Buteo, with a wingspan of about 142 cm and measuring 56– 69 cm from bill to tail 2, 3. Both sexes are large and heavy with broad, long, pointed wings and have a large head and bill, long gape, and robust chest; however, females are slightly larger and notably heavier than males 2. Plumage is identical between sexes but varies between light and dark morph individuals. Light morphs comprise 90% of all individuals, but dark morphs are present range-wide 2, 3.
    [Show full text]