and Rough-legged.
Accipiters and buteos also have different f light
patterns. Accipiters tend to f ly in a straight line,
alternating flapping with gliding, while buteos typically
soar in a circular pattern with occasional wing beats.
Most of the world’s 16 harrier species are found in
the Old World. The only one in North America is
Northern Harrier, a medium-size hawk with long,
narrow wings and a long tail. Harriers have an owl-like
facial disc that concentrates and directs sound waves to
the ear openings. They forage by f lying low to the
ground (as low as 3 to 5 feet) with wings elevated. They
turn their heads to increase the area searched for sound.
They prefer open places, such as grasslands, old fields,
and edges of wetlands.
Falcons differ from hawks and eagles and are placed
in a separate order. Their narrow wings with pointed
wing-tips are built for speed, as this design minimizes
drag. Another adaptation of falcons is a “toothed” bill
(actually a notch in the upper mandible) that is used to
separate cervical vertebrae while dispatching prey. The
larger falcons capture birds in mid-air by striking them
with great force. In a dive, a falcon brings the wings
close to its body, creating less drag. The smaller Merlin
prefers small birds but takes them from perches or in
f light without big dives. Our smallest falcon, American
Kestrel, is about the size of a robin. While it often hunts
from perches, it has also mastered hovering. It eats more
mice and voles than it does birds.
A subfamily of the falcons are the caracaras, a group
of 11 species mostly found in South America and
Central America. Crested Caracara is the only member
of the group found north of Mexico — mostly in
Arizona, Texas, and Florida. The species has wandered
widely in recent years, as far north as central Alberta.
Most raptors hunt larger prey, but most kites tend to
feed largely or exclusively on insects and snails.
White-tailed Kite is an exception, targeting rodents
primarily. Our Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites are
migratory, while White-tailed, Snail, and Hook-billed
Kites are resident species.
Raptors are among the most fascinating of birds.
They are strong yet graceful f lyers, capable of
complicated f light maneuvers to capture prey under a
variety of conditions — adding to their seemingly
unending list of amazing behaviors.
Eldon Greij is professor emeritus at Hope College, located in Holland,
Michigan, where he taught ornithology and ecology for many years.
He is the founder of Birder’s World magazine. You can find an archive
of his “Amazing Birds” columns on our website at
http://www.BirdWatchingDaily.com/news/science.http://www.BirdWatchingDaily.com 55