Birds of Prey
The Noisy Hawk
Stepping out of my Florida home one morning, I hear the scream-like call of the red-shouldered hawk, a species known for its loud raucous cries and sharp whistles that can be heard from a mile away. I watch it fly over our homes and into a laurel oak tree where it rests briefly then flies […]
The Falcon That Eats Carrion
Though the crested caracara hunts for reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects and small mammals, its primary diet is dead animals. You can often find them foraging for food on the ground and can be seen eating carrion with vultures. These raptors live in open savannah areas in northern South America, Central America, Mexico, Cuba and in […]
The Bald Eagle Makes a Come Back
Before retiring, I worked as a biologist and environmental educator on Long Island in New York. Stationed at the Connetquot River State Park Preserve, a 3,500 pine barren park, I always became excited when a bald eagle appeared during the winter, a rarity at that time. One year, an extended cold spell froze lakes and […]
What Hawk is That?
Walking along the shore of Lake Tsala Apopka on a recent spring day, a raptor sitting on a post of a floating dock caught my eye. It was intently looking at the lawn, turning and titling its head looking for something to eat. I was not sure what kind of hawk it was. It was […]
naturechirp 