My birding life list. One bird at a time.
Hey guys, welcome back. Today is our second owl species, and one that is fairly well known, but not often seen. The barn owl is widespread, being found in nearly every one of the 48 contiguous US states. Although widespread, they aren't super common, and are declining in population throughout parts of their range due... Continue Reading →
Hey guys, welcome back. Today is one of the smaller species in the hawk genus of buteo. You might think, based on its name, that the broad-winged hawk can be easily identified by its supposedly broad wings. And while the wings are maybe a bit broader in comparison to larger cousins the red-tailed and red-shouldered... Continue Reading →
Hey guys welcome back. Today is a cool raptor, the norther harrier. Northern harriers kind of look like a cross between an owl and a hawk. They are hawks, in the same family as the Cooper's and Sharp-shinned we've covered in the past. But get a close look at their face and you'll see a... Continue Reading →
Hey guys, welcome back. Today, the tiny terror that is the sharp-shinned hawk. The sharp-shinned hawk is the smallest North American hawk on average, with smaller males about the size of a mourning dove, but with a longer wingspan. Adults have a steel gray back with a barred orangish breast. Juveniles like the one pictured... Continue Reading →
Hey guys, welcome back! Today, the owl that most people probably picture when they picture an owl, and the only owl species I've seen in all three states I've lived in (NY, MO, OH.) The great horned owl. The great horned owl is a large owl, slightly larger than the red-tailed hawk. They are quite... Continue Reading →
Hey guys, welcome back! Today we head back to the world of raptors and meet the red-shouldered hawk. When I lived in NYC, I only ever saw them flying over the park during migration, although they've been known to stop by every once in a while, though never for long. I saw many more, including... Continue Reading →
Hey guys welcome back! Today, a bird that is the symbol of the US, the bald eagle. Many of us know that Ben Franklin wasn't so keen on the eagle being the national bird. He once said of the eagle, "He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly.... Continue Reading →
Hey guys, welcome back! Today, we've reached our first (as well as the most widespread in North America) vulture species; the turkey vulture! Turkey vultures are huge birds that eat primarily carrion (dead animals) but will also occasionally eat garbage and left over human food, and will also on rare occasions eat live food; primarily... Continue Reading →
Hey guys, welcome back! Today, one of my favorite raptors, the tiny, fluffy, very cute yet murderous American Kestrel! The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America. Barely bigger than a Mourning Dove, the American Kestrel is one of the more colorful of all raptors. Both males and females are heavily spotted, and... Continue Reading →
Hey guys, welcome back! Today, our first falcon! Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of today's bird. Sorry guys! Today we discuss the Merlin, a medium-sized falcon common throughout the western U.S and Atlantic coast in winter, and central and northern Canada in summer. Much of the central U.S. is only visited by the... Continue Reading →
Feathered Focus 