Raptors Flashcards
(22 cards)
kyew; kyew; kyew; kyew; kyew
Osprey - Pandionidae
Has a dark back, dark wrist, and dark secondaries, and a white crown.
Long and crooked wings, held arched.
White underparts are noticeable “gull-like”.
Adult calls
Turkey Vulture - Cathartidae
Huge size!
Naked head, and huuge wings.
Clumsy, slow wingbeats. Flight is very unsteady, as if it were rocking.
cree, cree, cree
Bald Eagle
Large, with plank-like wings and a large head and bill.
White head and tail.
Has very weak, flat, chriping whistles. Not exactly majestic.
Male gives a dry clucking or barking series.
Northern Harrier
Long tail, long wings, and a characteristic white butt patch.
Male gives a dry clucking or barking series.
Females are pale below with brown streaking, and males are grey above with a dark trailing edge on the wingtips.
Decidedly owly-looking.
High sharp notes. Mostly quiet, tho.
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Our smallest accipiter.
Small, round-headed, short-tailed.
Narrow white tailtip and a short, square tail.
Does NOT have lighter nape feathers like the Cooper’s does.
High sharp notes. Mostly quiet, tho.
cak-cak-cak, 2-5 seconds long, given by both sexes in defense of the nest. This call is also given during courtship. Males frequently make a kik call to tell their mates where they are; females make this call too, but less often. Females make a whaa call when approaching or receiving food from males.
Cooper’s Hawk
More slender and long tailed.
Larger, blockier head than a sharpie.
Very vocal “keeyurr, keeyurr” and commonly imited by Blue Jays!
Red-Shouldered Hawk
Rather compact for a buteo, almost accipeter-like.
Distinctive pale transluscent crescent across outer primaries when in flight.
Very vocal “keeyurr, keeyurr” and commonly imited by Blue Jays!
Sounds like a thin, high “teeteeeeeeeeee” on one pitch.
Broad-Winged Hawk
Small, with relatively pointed and straight-edged wings.
Dark upper side, with pale underwing and dark border.
Sounds like a thin, high “teeteeeeeeeeee” on one pitch.
keeeeeeeeer
Rasping and scraping screamy call.
Red-Tailed Hawk
Stocky and broad, with rounded wings and a short tail.
Pale breast, streaked belly band and speckled white V on the back.
Distinctive red tail!
Rasping and scraping screamy call.
Alarm scream calls of pair
Rough-Legged Hawk
Large and rather slender, broad-tipped wings and a long tail.
Boldly patterened w/ dark belly and wrist patch, very pale flight feathers and white base of tail.
klee; klee; klee
American Kestrel - Falconidae
Slender w/ a boldly patterned head.
Female lacks the grey on the wings.
A higher, weaker “killy killy killy”.
Ki-ki-kee
Merlin - Falconidae
Small, compact, powerful. Angular shape and broad pointed wings.
call
Peregrine Falcon - Falconidae
Larger size and bloder face pattern than the Merlin.
A slow, scolding “rekh rekh rekh…”
sustained tremolo
Eastern Screech-Owl
Greenish bill and faint buffy tones.
Has a descending whinny, and a long, whistled tremolo.
hoot-a-hoot; hoo-hoo
who’s awake? me too
Great Horned Owl
Large and bulky, broad ears create a cat-like head shape.
Tawny-orange face.
Muffled, rhythymic hooting of “hoodoo,hoodoo”…slightly deeper than mourning dove.
Male territorial hoot or advertisement
Snowy Owl
One of our largest owls and very unique looking.
who cooks for you, who cooks for you all!
Barred Owl
Coarsely barred tummy.
Sings “who cooks for you, who cooks for you all!” and a lot of barking, cackling, and gurgling.
Male advertisement song
Long-Eared Owl
Long ear-tufts, tawny orange face and a dark vetical stripe through the eye.
Dark streaking and barring.
Male primary song and wing-clap
Short-Eared Owl
SHort ear tufts and spotted upperside. Dark eye patch like a beautiful queen.
Streaked below, not quite as darkly as the long-eared.
repeated whistles
A wheezy, cat-like “schweee….”, nasal barks, soft whistles and low whistled toots.
Northern Saw-Whet Owl
Distinct white backbraces and a pale, buffy facial disk.
Brown streaking bewlow.
A wheezy, cat-like “schweee….”, nasal barks, soft whistles and low whistled toots.
songs
Loggerhead Shrike
Always white at the base of the primaries!
Broad black mask, darker grey and stubbier bill than a Northern.
Adult duet song
Northern Shrike
Narrower black mask and a white ring around the eye, compared to Loggerhead.
