If you ask some folks if they have seen any raptors lately, it’s not unusual for them to fire back with the question, “What’s a raptor?” The word “Raptor” actually comes from a Latin word meaning “plunderer”. If you look up the definition of the word “plunderer,” you’ll get the following definition: robber, raider, thief, intruder, and burglar. That’s not a very flattering definition. A raptor is actually a bird of prey, and more specifically, eagles, hawks, and falcons. Pennsylvania is home to a number of raptors, including the goshawk, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper’s hawk, red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, rough-legged hawk, kestrel, harrier, peregrine falcon, and, of course, the bald eagle.
For the most part, raptors feed on smaller animals like rabbits, rodents, and even other birds. Just last week, I caught sight of a hawk, which I couldn’t identify, fly in front of my vehicle with another bird in its talons. While hunting, a raptor is often seen soaring high above, or they may sit and watch from a perch. When they attack, their tendons spread their feet, and upon impact, the toes automatically clench, driving the talons deep into the victim. Raptors will often carry their prey to a feeding spot, such as a fence post or tree limb. It’s not unusual to spot a hawk of some kind sitting on a tree limb or a fence post, tearing at the meat with its beak.
I’ll admit that I’m not really efficient at identifying all of the raptors, but there are some I do know and see fairly frequently. Probably the smallest of the bunch is the kestrel, which is about the size of a good-sized robin. A male is mostly gray with a black and white pattern on the face and some rusty brown on the back. I often see kestrels perched at the top of a telephone pole, but they often hover in one spot, rapidly beating their wings. They feed mainly on mice, but they will also take insects.
Another common raptor that I often see is the red-tailed hawk. The red-tailed hawk is a medium-sized hawk with a wingspread of 46-58 inches. The rusty red tail is a pretty good indicator that it’s a red-tailed hawk. They feed mostly on mice, birds, rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks. It’s not unusual to be going down a major highway and see one of these hawks soar down from its perch and grab some critter in the high grass on the bank of the highway.
Another raptor that is fairly easy to identify, but unfortunately far less common than many of the other raptors, is the peregrine falcon. Peregrine’s have a 38-46 inch wingspan and weigh around two pounds. They are slate blue with dark bars down the back, and a distinct black cap with the black dropping down beneath the eye. The peregrine often feeds on other birds, attacking ducks, pigeons, blue jays, flickers, and other birds. Loss of habitat and other factors have taken a serious toll on the peregrine population here in Pennsylvania, but in recent years, they have made somewhat of a comeback.
By 2018, we had finally achieved at least 22 nesting pairs, and it appears that the population has continued to climb since then. Peregrines are still highly protected with a fine of $2,500 for harming one.
Well, these are just a few of our raptors – interesting birds to spot, and especially great to catch in action. Keep your eyes open, even when going down the highway; you never know which of the raptors may make a surprise appearance.
