Hawks of Kentucky

1
Hawks of Kentucky

• Diurnal
• Raptors

2
Osprey
3

• Osprey Pandion haliaetus Linnaeus, 1758
• BREEDING Along rivers, lakes, and coasts. 1
  brood. Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Courting pair in swift pursuit flight,
  soar, circle, dodge with rapid turns and quick
  swoops.

4

• NEST In deciduous or conifer tree (dead or
  alive), near or over water, also atop pole. Of
  sticks, sod, cow dung, seaweed, rubbish, etc.
  Perennial, becoming very large. Both sexes help
  with nest construction.
• EGGS Whitish/pinkish-white/pinkish cinnamon,
  marked with brown/olive, rarely unmarked. 2.4
  (61mm).

5

• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates with some
  help from male. Incubation takes 32-43 days.
  Development is semialtrical (immobile, downy,
  eyes open, fed). Young are able to fly after
  48-59 days. Both sexes tend young.
• Diet Usually hovers at 30 to 100 feet and dives,
  mostly for fish (live or dead) also takes
  rodents, birds, small vertebrates, crustaceans.

6

• Young fed regurgitant first 10 days. Brood of 3
  requires 6 pounds of fish daily.
• CONSERVATION Winters south to Chile and north
  Argentina. Species of special concern 1982,
  local concern in 1986, introduced to Kentucky in
  1988. Population crashed in 1950s-1970s from
  exposure to DDT, encroachment onto breeding
  grounds and shooting.

7

• Costal populations now recovered aided by DDT ban
  and conservation programs including successful
  use of artificial nesting platforms.
• Female fed entirely by mate from pair formation
  through egg laying courtship feeding may ensure
  mate fidelity.
• Male occasionally does up to 30 of incubation.

8

• Male delivers food to female at nest she then
  feeds young.
• Female does most of the brooding.
• Young hatch asynchronously.
• Subject to piracy by Bald Eagle and frigatebird.
• Only raptor whose front talons turn backward.

9
Mississippi Kite
10
Ictinia mississippiensis

• BREEDING Trees usually near waterway, open
  woodland, semiarid rangeland. Mating system is
  monogamous.
• DISPLAYS already paired upon arrival in spring
  little courtship.

11

• NEST On upper branches, small forks, or
  occasionally horizontal limbs bulky but flat, of
  coarse sticks and twigs. Lined with green
  leaves, Spanish moss. Perennial. Both sexes
  help with nest construction.
• EGGS whitish/bluish-white, unmarked or faintly
  spotted, often nest-stained. 1.6 (41mm).

12

• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Both sexes incubate.
  Incubation takes 31-32 days. Development is
  semialtricial. Young are able to fly after 34
  days. Both sexes tend young.
• DIET Mostly large insects, few bats, amphibians,
  lizards. Flocks up to 20 follow livestock for
  flushed insects.

13

• CONSERVATION Winter south to central South
  America increasing since 1950s, breeding range
  expanding west, possibly due to tree planting for
  erosion control.
• Nest in loose colonies.
• Congregate at communal perches and foraging
  areas often soar communally while hunting for
  insects.
• Quiet
• Reproductive success not related to nesting
  density.

14
Bald Eagle
15
Haliaeetus leucocephalus

• BREEDING Coasts, rivers and large lakes in open
  areas. 1 brood. Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Spectacular aerial courtship, including
  locking talons and descending in series of
  somersaults.

16

• NEST often in fork of tall tree of large
  sticks, vegetation, etc., deeply lined with fine
  materials. Cliff nests range from minimal sticks
  to massive structure. Occasionally more than 1
  nest. Perennial, known to use more than 35 years.
  Both sexes help with nest construction.
• EGGS Bluish-white, often nest-stained. 3.0
  (76mm).

17

• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Both sexes incubate.
  Incubation takes 34-36 days. Development is
  semialtricial. Young are able to fly after 70-98
  days. Both sexes tend young.
• DIET Especially salmon, up to 15 pounds (often
  dead or dying) also small mammals (especially
  rabbits), waterfowl and seabirds, carrion, rarely
  other vertebrates.

18

• CONSERVATION Winters south to coastal Baja.

19
Northern Harrier
20
Circus cyaneus

• BREEDING Prairie, savanna, slough. Wet meadows,
  marsh. 1 brood. Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Courting male performs series of dives
  from near stall, including barrel-rolls in
  multiple U-shaped loops.

21

• NEST Flimsy-on slightly elevated ground or in
  thick vegetation of sticks, grass, etc., loosely
  lined with fine materials. Female builds nest
  with some help from male.
• EGGS Bluish-white, usually unmarked, but 10
  spotted with browns. 1.8 (47mm).
• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates. Incubation
  takes 31-32 days. Development is semialtricial.
  Young are able to fly after 30-35 days. Both
  sexes tend young.

22

• Diet Especially voles, also birds, snakes,
  frogs, insects (especially grasshoppers),
  carrion.
• CONSERVATION Winters south to north Colombia,
  north Venezuela, and Barbados. Declining from
  loss of habitat and effects of pesticides 20 of
  eggs showed shell thinning in 1970.
• Like owls, has curved, sound filtering facial
  ruff which, with characteristic low (less than 7
  feet) flight, enables location of prey by sound.

23

• Female feeds and broods young.
• Females aggressively exclude males from preferred
  feeding areas in non-breeding season.
• Outside of breeding season, roost communally on
  ground.
• Formerly known as Marsh Hawk

24
Sharp-shinned Hawk
25
Accipiter striatus

• BREEDING Northern woodland, mountainous
  coniferous/deciduous forest. 1 brood. Mating
  system monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Courting pair circle, land in tree, and
  call courtship often near nest

26

• NEST BY trunk broad and flat, of sticks, twigs.
  Lined with finer twigs, outer bark strips,
  grass, conifer needles. Occasionally use old
  crow/squirrel nests, adding fresh materials.
• EGGS White/bluish-white, marked with brown,
  wreathed. Occasionally unmarked some clutches
  mixed. 1.5 (3mm).
• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates. Incubation
  takes 32-35 days.

27

• Development is semialtricial. Young are able to
  fly after 24-27 days. Both sexes tend young.
• DIET Among accipiters, takes grestest proportion
  of birds as prey only rarely takes small
  mammals, frogs, lizards, insects.
• CONSERVATION Winters south through central
  America to central Panama, Greater Antilles.

28

• Dramatic decline in eastern US in early 1970s
  8 to 13 of eggs showed shell thinning.
• Juveniles may comprise up to 60 of breeding
  females in some populations.
• Male does virtually all of the hunting from
  incubation to early nestling stage.
• Young dependent on adults for 21-28 days
  post-fledging.
• Often migrates in large numbers.

29
Coopers Hawk
30
Accipiter cooperii

• BREEDING Usually deciduous, occasionally
  coniferous, forest, woodland, especially
  riparian. 1 brood. Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Courtship flight with wings describing
  deep arc.

31

• NEST Broad and flat or narrow and deep, of
  sticks, twigs, in crotch of cinifer, by trunk in
  deciduous tree rarely on ground. Lined with
  chips, outer bark strips, occasionally green
  conifer needles, down ( often added during and
  after laying). Occasionally use old crow nest.
  Males selects site. Male builds nest with some
  help from female.
• EGGS Bluish-white/greenish-white, usually nest
  stained, spotted with browns. 1.5 (39mm).

32

• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates with some
  help from male. Incubation takes 32-36 days.
  Development is semialtricial. Young are able to
  fly after 27-34 days. Both sexes tend young.
• Diet Small mammals, also few reptiles,
  amphibians. Hunts with low dash through woods

33

• CONSERVATION Winter south through Mexico to
  Guatemala and Honduras.
• Serious decline began reversal in east after 1972
  ban on DDT.
• Juvenile females occasionally comprise up to 20
  of breeding population.
• Male does most of hunting from incubation to
  early nestling stage.
• Young hatch nearly synchronously but size
  difference apparent dependent on adults for
  30-40 days post-fledging.

34
Red-shouldered Hawk
35
Buteo lineatus

• BREEDING Riparian forest, wooded swamp. 1 brood.
  Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS 1-4 birds soar, flap, swoop and dive
  while calling over territories. May rise in wide
  spirals 1,500 to 2,000 feet over nest, flap,
  dive, descend to original spot in series of dives
  and sideslips.

36

• NEST Usually by trunk, occasionally in conifers
  in w of sticks, twigs, inner bark strips, dry
  leaves, moss, lichen, conifer needles. Lined
  with fine materials, green leaves (replenished
  from incubation on). Perennial. Both sexes help
  with nest construction.
• EGGS White/bluish-white, often nest-stained,
  marked with brown. 2.1 (53mm).

37

• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Both sexes incubate.
  Incubation takes 28 days. Development is
  semialtricial. Young are able to fly after 39-45
  days. Both sexes tend young.
• DIET Reptiles, Amphibians and birds. Includes
  rodents, snakes, lizards, insects, also
  occasionally snails. Old nest often becomes
  eating platform.

38

• CONSERVATION Winter in US. Declining or now
  stabilized at low numbers known to accumulate
  organochlorines pesticides and PCBs, but habitat
  loss is the major threat.
• Pair or kin may use same territory for many
  years.
• Usually first breed at two years.
• Can tolerate human disturbance if mature
  trees/high canopy mainatined.

39

• Young hatch asynchronously, differ in size.
• Hunt in forest edge and open woodland near
  meadows and fields.

40
Broad-winged Hawk
41
Buteo platypterus

• BREEDING Dense deciduous and mixed forest
  occasionally in open woodland, often near water.
  1 brood. Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Aerial courtship pair flap, soar in
  circles, darting at and passing close to each
  other.

42

• NEST Usually in crotch of deciduous tree,
  occasionally in conifer by trunk. Relatively
  small, loose, of sticks, twigs, dead leaves.
  Lined with inner bark strips, lichen, few outer
  bark chips, evergreen sprigs, green leaves.
  Usually annual. Built in 3-5 weeks female does
  all or most of lining. Occasionally use old nest
  of crow, squirrel, hawk.
• EGGS white/bluish-white, marked with brown,
  wreathed occasionally unmarked. 1.9 (49mm).

43

• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates with help
  from male. Incubation takes 28-35 days.
  Development is semialtrical. Young are able to
  fly after 35 days. Both sexes tend young.
• DIET Birds, reptiles and insects.
  Opportunistic, also takes nestlings. Sedentary
  hunter usually cannot catch adult birds.
  Occasionally hawks insects.

44

• CONSERVATION Winters south from Guatemala
  through Central America to eastern Peru, Bolivia,
  and south Brazil.
• Pair bond occasionally last more than 1 year.
• Only female has brood patch male provides food
  for incubating mate.
• Young hatch asynchronously, chick size differs.

45

• Female broods begins hunting when nestlings 1-2
  weeks old.
• Often migrate in large flocks.

46
Red-tailed Hawk
47
Buteo jamaicensis

• BREEDING Woodland and open country with
  scattered trees, desert. 1? brood. Mating system
  is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Aerial display pair spiral, recross,
  male usually circling behind and above female.
  Male may stoop at female, feet touching or
  interlocking as female rolls over. Courtship
  feeding.

48

• NEST In crotch of large tree with commanding
  view bulky, of sticks and twigs, lined with
  inner bark strips, evergreen sprigs, green
  leaves greens renewed. May use old raptor nest
  as base. Alternately uses several perennial
  nests. Both sexes help with nest construction.
• EGGS White/bluish-white, spotted with brown or
  unmarked. 2.4 (60mm).

49

• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates with some
  help from male. Incubation takes 30-35 days.
  Development is semialtricial. Young are able to
  fly after 45-46 days. Both sexes tend young.
• DIET Mostly (85) rodents also amphibians,
  crayfish, fish, reptiles, insects and offal.

50

• CONSERVATION Winter south to Panama. Much
  reduced in east by early bounty continued steady
  decline from human persecution and habitat loss,
  also some eggshell thinning.
• Most common and wide spread Buteo.
• Interspecifically territorial with Swainsons
  hawk.
• Female often returns to previous nesting
  territory.

51

• Young hatch asynchronously.
• Harlans Hawk, formerly considered separate
  species, now considered form of red-tail.

52
Golden Eagle
53
Aquila chrysaetos

• BREEDING Open habitats, especially in mountains
  and hills. 1 brood. Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Upward spiral then nose-dive, wings
  half open, gliding up then diving and calling,
  usually alone, occasionally in pairs.

54

• NEST Sticks interwoven with brush, leaves, etc.
  Lined with fine materials. Often 2-3
  (occasionally more) nests used alternately
  perennial, becoming very large. Both sexes help
  with nest construction.
• EGGS White/cream-buff, marked with brown 1 egg
  usually unmarked. 2.9 (75mm).

55

• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates with some
  help from male. Incubation takes 43-45 days.
  Development is semialtricial. Young are able to
  fly after 66-75 days. Both sexes tend young.
• DIET Mammals, birds, reptiles, insects.
  Especially jackrabbits other prey (including
  carrion) when mammals scarce.

56

• CONSERVATION Winters south to northern Mexico
  highlands. Protected since 1962 after more than
  20,000 destroyed in 10 years mostly by sheep
  ranchers in spite of little evidence of livestock
  depredation now stable or increasing. Also
  subject to powerline electrocution, poison
  intended for coyotes etc.
• Long tern pair bond.

57

• Male captures more food than female during
  incubation and chick rearing male feeds female
  on nest, rarely feeds young directly or broods.
• Male incubates small amount only in day.
• Often use aromatic leaves in nest to deter insect
  pests.
• Larger sibling often kills smaller.
• In most of west, territories occupied year-round.

58

• Subadult birds occasionally breed.
• Hunt solo or in pairs.
• Occasionally roost communally in winter when prey
  densities high.

59
American Kestrel
60
Falco sparverius

• BREEDING open or partly open habitats with
  scattered trees, also cultivated and urban areas.
  1 brood, 2 in south and when small mammal prey
  very abundant. Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Male flies rapidly in wide circles
  above perch, bends quivering wingtips down,
  calls, occasionally joined by female before
  realighting on perch. Pair bow, female constantly
  calling. Desert populations incorporate courtship
  feeding.

61

• NEST Little, if any nesting material. Nest boxes
  or tree cavity.
• EGGS White/pinkish-white, marked with browns,
  occasionally lavender, occasionally unmarked.
  1.4 (35mm)
• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates with help
  from male. Incubation takes 29-31 days.
  Development is semialtricial. Young are able to
  fly after 30-31 days. Both sexes tend young.

62

• DIET Insects, small vertebrates and mammals.
  Also occasionally birds. In desert, young eat
  only insects for first week, later also mice.
  Occasionally aerially forage for insects.
• CONSERVATION Winters south to Panama. Readily
  uses nest box.
• Often uses same nest for second brood male feeds
  fledglings of first brood and incubating female.

63

• Caches vertebrates, usually in grass clumps.
• Competes with other hole-nesters for nest sites.
• Promiscuous matings occasionally occurs before
  monogamous bonds form.
• In winter, individuals defend territories
  females prefer habitat that is open and sparsely
  vegetated, males prefer denser vegetation.
• Formerly known as Sparrow Hawk.

64
Peregrine Falcon
65
Falco peregrinus

• BREEDING Open habitats from tundra, savanna, and
  seacoast to high mountains also open forest,
  tall buildings. 1 brood. Mating system
  monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Aerial displays, courtship feeding, all
  with calls.

66

• NEST Well-rounded scrape in accumulated debris
  on ledge, occasionally lined with grass. Rarely
  uses old tree nest or cavity. Cliff sites used
  traditionally for many years. Female builds nest.
• EGGS White/pinkish-cream, occasionally marked
  brown/red. 2.1 (53mm)
• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates with help
  from male. Incubation takes 29-32 days.
  Development is semialtricial. Young able to fly
  after 35-42 days. Both sexes tend young.

67

• DIET Stoops or flies fast and low after wide
  variety of birds, especially doves and pigeons,
  also shorebirds, waterfowl, and passerines.
• CONSERVATION Winters south through Central
  America and West Indies to Tierra del Fuego.
  Serious decline since 1940s result of eggshell
  thinning from pesticides and PCB poisoning. Now
  being reintroduced to parts of former range.

68

• Worldwide range more extensive than any other
  bird.
• Initially male does most of hunting, female
  broods and feeds chicks.
• Pairs roost together, hunt cooperatively.
• As in other falcons, female larger than male
  eats first, dives first when hunting in pairs,
  takes larger prey.

69
Gyrfalcon
70
Falco rusticolus

• BREEDING Artic tundra with rock outcrops and
  cliffs, open conifer forest, rocky seacoast. 1
  brood. Mating system monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Aerial courtship display including
  diving.
• NEST Marked by excrement, food debris, pellets.
  Old stick nest of raven or raptor often used
  lined with accumulated debris. Perennial.

71

• EGGS White/yellowish-white, spotted with
  cinnamon-brown, occasionally nearly plain. 2.3
  (59mm).
• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Female incubates with some
  help from male. Incubation takes 34-36 days.
  Development is semialtricial. Young are able to
  fly after 49-56 days. Both sexes tend young.
• DIET Small mammals. Especially ptarmigan, also
  grouse, seabirds, waterfowl, shorebirds. Apt to
  perch on rock outcrop while searching for
  movement or fat and low, contour hugging to
  surprise prey.

72

• CONSERVATION Winter resident but some south
  movement within North America. Rare over entire
  range.
• Numbers vary with ptarmigan abundance will skip
  breeding when prey scarce.
• Female 30-40 heavier than male
• Male provides all food from incubation through
  early nestling period female does all or most of
  brooding.
• Young dependent on parents for 30 days
  post-fledging.
• Capable of climbing sharply to rise above flying
  prey.

73
Black Vulture
74
Coragyps atratus

• BREEDING Open lowland, garbage dumps,
  occasionally highland avoids heavily forested
  regions. 1 brood. Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Courtship often including trio of males
  posturing at and flying after female. Complex
  aerial display starting with rapid, prolonged
  spiral, usually above cliffs. Pair bills.

75

• NEST Occasionally in opening amid dense
  vegetation, on or in stump.
• EGGS Light grayish-green, occasionally
  bluish-white, usually marked with browns,
  lavender, wreathed. Occasionally nearly plain.
  3.0 (76mm).
• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Both sexes incubate.
  Incubation takes 37-48 days. Development is
  semialtricial. Young able to fly after 80-94
  days. Both sexes tend young.

76

• DIET Vertebrates. Occasionally capture young
  birds, small mammals. Depend more on sight for
  finding food than do Turkey Vultures. Young fed
  regurgitant.
• CONSERVATION Winter resident. Decreased in
  southeast and at northwest edge of range but
  apparently expanding to northeast. Loss of
  suitable tree cavities for nest due to fire
  control, and widespread eggshell thinning from
  pesticides are partly responsible for decrease.

77

• Most colonial of vultures in both nesting and
  roosting.
• Family units maintained throughout year
  preferentially associates with other families,
  raising possibility of extended kin associations
  using communal roosts as information centers for
  locating good foraging areas.
• Roosts larger in winter (up to about 400 birds),
  average about 33 turnover nightly.

78

• When confronted, regurgitate with power and speed.

79
Turkey Vulture
80
Cathartes aura

• BREEDING Open habitat in both lowlands and
  mountains. 1 brood. Mating system is monogamous.
• DISPLAYS Courtship includes following-flights
  with male occasionally diving at female.
• NEST In cave or in hollow stump with narrow
  entrance. Rarely a minimal nest of raked stones,
  dry leaves, wood chips.

81

• EGGS white, occasionally marked with brown. 2.8
  (71mm)
• CHICK DEVELOPMENT Both sexes incubate.
  Incubation takes 38-42 days. Development is
  semialtricial. Young are able to fly after 66-88
  days. Both sexes tend young.
• DIET Virtually any dead animal down to size of
  tadpole. Young fed regurgitant.

82

• CONSERVATION Winters south to Bahamas,
  throughout Central America, Greater Antilles and
  South America. Reportedly decreasing in southern
  Great Plains and parts of south. Eggshell
  thinning still a widespread problem.
• Experimental evidence suggest carrion found by
  sight and scent.
• In contrast to Black Vulture, does not re-nest if
  clutch destroyed.

83

• Young brooded continuously for 5 days by both
  parents.
• Roost communally throughout year.