The Red-tailed Hawk

The most common hawk in North America is probably the Red-tailed Hawk.

Marz, the Red-tailed Hawk, watching vigilantly for his cue to fly to his trainer at Stone Zoo (photo Teri Graves)

They are commonly found sitting on fence posts near fields or soaring in the sky with their broad, and rounded wings.  They are typically brown above and pale below in color with that very well-known red tail.  Juveniles have a brown banded tail.  There are also multiple morphs or variations.  The dark-morph birds are chocolate brown and rufous-morph birds are reddish-brown above and dark below.

Nelson, a Krider's Red-tailed Hawk, is a WBS resident bird (photo: Gay Schroer)

There is also a color variation of the Red-tailed Hawk called "Krider's" that is pale with a whitish head, streaked belly, and a pinkish tail.  Harlan's variation of the Red-tailed Hawk is very dark with marbled white, brown and grey in the tail.  These last two morphs are more commonly found in the western United States.

Red-tailed Hawks prefer open country where they can soar or perch on high objects as they search for prey, but they are found in every habitat in the United States, including deserts and woodlands.  When flying, they use thermal updrafts to climb, maintain altitude, and circle the sky.  Often times the Red-shouldered Hawk is mistaken for the Red-tailed Hawk.  They have a similar appearance when in flight.

Flip, a Red-shouldered Hawk.  In flight this species is often mistaken for a Red-tailed Hawk (photo: Gay Schroer)

Red-tailed Hawks are typically a solitary species, but they will share in the hunt with their mate or offspring.  One may keep an eye on their prey while the other makes the attack.  Their diet consists of small mammals such as mice, rabbits, and squirrels, as well as snakes and even other birds.  Like most birds of prey, they will also feed on carrion.

Marz the Red-tailed Hawk at Grant's Farm (photo: W. Leigh French)

The World Bird Sanctuary has several resident Red-tailed Hawks, and even a Krider's Hawk.  As with all of our resident animals, they are available for adoption in our Adopt A Bird program.  To see a gallery of some of our hawks, Click Here.  If you don't see the bird you would like to adopt in our photo gallery--don't despair.  Just call 636-861-3225 and ask for Marion.

Submitted by W. Leigh French, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

Flip Update: On The Move

A few months ago I introduced you all to Flip, the Red-shouldered Hawk I had begun training.   He is a bird that came into our Rehabilitation facility as a juvenile in May 2009 with a wing injury which turned out to be permanent.  My training goal at that point was manning Flip, or getting him comfortable sitting on the glove, and introducing him to being in front of the public.

Since then, Flip has had some big changes and some milestones!  First of all, he looks super-different now.  Flip has since molted and his adult plumage has grown in.   This new plumage is affectionately referred to as his “big boy feathers.”  With his rust shoulder patches, rusty breast feathers and black and white striped tail, he looks just like the adult birds you would see in a field guide.

I have only heard him make the typical Red-shouldered Hawk call a couple of times, though.  He’s still pretty squeaky, especially when I’m around.  Flip has also started to do some education programs for us, both here at the Sanctuary and out in the world.  His first show was in our amphitheater in May for a group of 12 people.  He did very well in front of the group on the glove, and was very good about going in and out of his crate.

Throughout the summer, whenever I had a program that was close to the Sanctuary or was a shorter show, I made sure to get Flip out there.  He has now done a show all the way in Ste. Genevieve, MO, quite a car trip for a new guy.  Flip actually seems the most relaxed when he’s in the car travelling to and from the show.  I mean, I know I like sitting back and watching the scenery while someone drives me around, but I didn’t know if he would feel the same way!  Seriously though, being a good traveler is such an important part of the lives of our education animals, I’m so pleased with Flip’s immediate comfort in the vehicle.

 

Flip is just one of the awesome birds you can see when you come visit the Sanctuary.  When you’re walking through the different areas, you might see perches that are empty.  Those birds are travelling with the education department on that particular day, teaching young and old alike.  Because of Flip’s excellent progress, you may see his perch open more often then not over the summer.  But it means that soon people all over the country will be getting to enjoy this awesome little bird with the adorable squeak.  He’s a wonderful example of a bird you might see in your own backyard and that is an indispensible teaching tool!  

Submitted by Dana Lambert, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

A New Love

So, yes, it’s all true!  I have a new bird in my life, and he’s pretty adorable, if I do say so myself.

 I’d love to introduce him to everyone.  His name is Flip and he’s a juvenile Red-shouldered hawk.  Red-shouldered hawks are a common species in the area, often found hunting around water.  They love tasty rodents, but also eat lizards, snakes, and frogs. 

As adults, these birds have a black and white striped tail, rust and cream chests, and rust shoulder patches, as their name implies.  Flip looks a little different right now.  He is full size, but still has his tan-spotted juvenile plumage on his breast. 

He came to our Wildlife Hospital in May of 2009 with a broken wing.  The break was stabilized, and healed over time; however, it became clear pretty quickly that this break had done damage to some of the follicles from which his primary flight feathers grow.  The primaries are the outermost wing feathers. This damage caused these feathers to be…well… flipped, and grow in upside down.  This situation has made Flip unable to fly and therefore unreleasable.  He is, otherwise, a healthy young bird with a healthy dose of attitude. 

This is the point at which I met him.  Red-shouldered Hawks are a species that our Education department is allowed to have, through our federal and state permits, to use in our programs if they are non-releasable.  We have not had a Red-shouldered Hawk since our beloved Meramec passed away from old age.  Meramec was an awesome bird, who could frequently be heard calling from his perch at the Visitor’s Information Center weathering area.  While he was loved by many, Meramec was very special to me because he was the first bird I ever handled on the glove when I began as an intern at the Sanctuary.  When it was suggested that we could train this young unreleasable bird, soon to be known as Flip, to be part of our Education team, I jumped at the chance to do so.  That was February. 

Since then, Flip and I have been spending lots of time together each day working on his training.  Flip’s first interactions with people were pretty negative since he had to be medicated and examined during his stay in the hospital.  These are the times you most wish you could somehow tell these sick and injured birds that you’re only trying to help them.  That communication not being possible, though, Flip wasn’t super-excited about the prospect of hanging out with me in the beginning.  Many days were spent getting him to be comfortable eating with me in view.  Soon we worked up to him taking food from my glove, and eventually to him stepping up on the glove to eat.  I can’t tell you the joy that comes from that first day where you start to see some tentative trust from the bird.

Flip has made progress in leaps and bounds towards being comfortable in the presence of people other than me.  He gets to go outside with the other birds each day where he can see lots of visitors, cameras, strollers and all kinds of new things that can be a little scary at first.  We’re currently working on walking around the site while he’s eating off the glove so he can see new areas of the Sanctuary.

In the near future, Flip will learn how to travel in the carriers we use to transport our birds on our nationwide travels.  The pinnacle moment will be taking him to his first education program.  When this happens, I know I will be ridiculously excited and proud, and a little nervous, like a new parent sending a child off to the first day of school.  It sounds a little dorky, I know, but good training requires a lot of time, careful observation, and an understanding of your bird’s personality.  I’m afraid this professional closeness also breeds some emotional dorkiness.  It’s a job hazard, what can I say? 

None of this would have been possible without the intervention of our hospital personnel and the excellent care he received there upon first arrival, and during his long recuperation.

So, on your next visit to the Sanctuary, be sure to check out the row of perches just past the Wildlife Hospital and say hello to Flip.  He’ll be the chatty one on the first perch.  I know you’ll all find him as adorable as I do!

Submitted by Dana Lambert, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist