Red-Shouldered Hawk

        Today's featured feathered friend is the Red-Shouldered Hawk.  This medium-sized raptor can be found year round across most of the eastern United States.  Identifying hawks can be difficult, but the Red-Shouldered's distinctive loud call helps nail down its I.D. 

        They have brownish heads, reddish chests and pale bellies with reddish bars.  Their tails are marked with narrow white bars.  The red "shoulders" are visible when they are perched.  The upper parts are dark with pale spots and they have long yellow legs.  Males are 17 inches in length, weigh about 1.2 pounds and have a wingspan of around 37 inches.  Like most other raptor species, females are larger than males.  Females can be several inches longer, weighs about 1.5 pounds and have wider wingspans.

        They prey mostly on small mammals, lizards, snakes and amphibians. They occasionally eat birds, sometimes from feeders.  We have witnessed several hawk attacks in our backyard and sadly, lost a few Mourning Doves.  To help protect the smaller birds, we have moved the feeders and most of the baths to the edge of the yard, where shrubs and small trees offer them shelter.  When Florida Scrub-Jays are present, one of them acts as a "sentinel" (one that keeps guard).  If the sentinel spots a hawk it gives a warning call and all the birds head for cover.

     Click on the links below for more information and enjoy these photos of the Red-Shouldered Hawk.....tweet....tweet!!


Perched and calling
(Taken 12/24/11, Englewood Sports Complex, Englewood FL)

 

A birds eye view of The Celery Fields
(Taken 9/5/13, The Celery Fields, Sarasota FL)

 

A field mouse for lunch.
(Taken 6/12/13, The Celery Fields, Sarasota FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-shouldered_hawk/id

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-shouldered_Hawk

 

           

Florida Burrowing Owl

        Today's featured feathered friend is the Florida Burrowing Owl.  They are listed as a species of special concern in Florida.  It is estimated that the Florida Burrowing Owl population is around 3,000 birds.

        Burrowing Owls are the only North American Owl that nest underground, hence the name.  They sometimes nest colonially with just a few feet separating each burrow.  They can be seen year-round, day or night, in central and south Florida. They prefer open prairie, but are also found in agricultural, recreational and residential areas.

          In most species of raptors, including other Owl species, females are visibly larger than males.  However, male and female Burrowing Owls are generally the same size and are similar in appearance.  They have bright yellow eyes, a flattened facial disc, long featherless gray legs with white eyebrows and chins.  Adults have brown heads and wings with white spotting. The chest and abdomen are white with variable brown spotting or barring.  Juveniles are similar to adults but lack most of the white spotting above and brown barring below.  Burrowing Owls are about 9 inches long, weigh around 5 ounces and have a 21 inch wingspan. 

        Enjoy today's photos of these well camouflaged adult Florida Burrowing Owls, taken in Punta Gorda FL, in February 2013.....tweet.....tweet!!

 

 

Hard to spot  <  -----------------------------  >  Easier to spot

TOO Cute!!

 

Up close and personal.

 http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Burrowing_Owl/id

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrowing_Owl