Winter Raptors on the Grasslands

Winter is not only the best time in Central California to head out to the wetlands, but also the prime season for viewing a diverse array of raptors on the prairies.  Largely reduced to a fringe of remnants ringing the Great Central Valley, California's grasslands support a number of very special species that are with us only during the winter months.  

(Follow this link to learn about the value of California's grasslands!)

Ferruginous Hawk

North America's largest hawk, the Ferruginous Hawk (pictured both above and below), breeds in open prairies of the West.  In California, these regal raptors begin to arrive in October and November, and stay through March.

Ferruginous Hawk



Arctic-breeding Rough-legged Hawks migrate south in the fall to spend the winter months in open country across much of the United States.  The small bill and small feet are hallmarks of this Arctic species, along with feathered legs, a trait shared only with Ferruginous Hawks and Golden Eagles.  While other large raptors favor more sturdy perches, Rough-legged will perch on small, springy branches.

Rough-legged Hawk


The standard, year-round raptor across the U.S., Red-tailed Hawks are common and abundant in open habitats.  During the winter, migratory Red-tails from northern regions join more southerly populations, augmenting their numbers.  Keep an eye on roadside telephone poles for this familiar species!

Red-tailed Hawk



American Kestrels are falcons, raptors only distantly related to hawks.  North America's smallest falcon, kestrels are common in open habitat and farmland across the U.S.  Look for them perched on fence poles or utility wires, or hovering over fields in search of prey.

American Kestrel


Smaller and darker than kestrels, Merlin breed across Canada and the Northwest, migrating south to spend winter in the West and along the Gulf Coast.  Quick, agile and strong fliers, your best bet for glimpsing a Merlin is to find this bird while it is hunting from a perch.

Merlin



Nearly as large a its cousin, the Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcons are pale raptors of the West, where they nest largely on cliffs, but will also use trees and man-made structures.  They may be seen around the Central Valley throughout the year, but are by far more common from fall through spring.

Prairie Falcon


Huge and majestic, Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles are also present year-round in Central California.  However, winter still seems to be the best time to find these potentially elusive raptors.  Golden Eagles haunt the grassland fringes of the Valley, while Bald Eagles can usually be found hanging around the many reservoirs that dot the eastern edge of the Valley.

Bald Eagle



The weather is mild, the grass is green, and hawks, falcons and raptors are present in abundance this January.  So, pack a lunch and head out to the grasslands (don't be afraid to explore the backroads!) to see what turns up!

Red-tailed Hawk (left) and Rough-legged Hawk


For an excellent book on North American raptors, packed full of wonderful photos, ID tips and fun quizzes, I highly recommend The Crossley ID Guide: Raptors.  

Comments

Post a Comment

You Might Also Like:

Birds of the Desert: Residents & Spring Migrants

Image
Nearly everyone knows the desert as a barren, desolate land of extremes: high heat, low precipitation; little available food and water; prickly, spiny, unfriendly plants growing in a sea of rocks and sand as far as the eye can see.  But for those who stop and look closer, the desert reveals itself as the beautiful, incredible, mesmerizing place it truly is, teeming with unexpected life. Juvenile male Costa's Hummingbird visiting chuparosa blooms next to our campsite in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. I particularly love the desert in the spring, when the annual wildflowers, cacti, flowering trees and shrubs are all in bloom.  (I've experienced the desert in the searing 120 degree heat of summer, and the rainy, even snowy cold of winter... and spring wins every time!)  Eric and I just returned from a week in the Colorado desert, exploring the imperiled, accidental Salton Sea (more on that coming soon), the vital wetlands of the Sonny Bono Salton ...
Read more

A Shorebird Primer: Godwits, Curlews, Willets and Whimbrels

Image
For those of us living in the Great Central Valley, autumn is the time to head to the coast.  Of course, there is no bad time to visit California's magnificent coastline.  But as the heat and haze of summer drag on in the Valley, the sea becomes increasingly tantalizing: September and the onset of autumn bring sunny weather and an abundance of migratory seabirds and shorebirds to our coast. A new birder visiting California's Central Coast will undoubtedly be met with a splendid array of very confusing birds.  Among these are small shorebirds like  "peeps" (sandpipers), Sanderlings and various  plovers .  But the larger birds can be just as confusing, until you learn a few distinguishing features.  Four large shorebirds that are commonly seen (and commonly confused) along California's Central Coast are Godwits, Curlews, Willets and Whimbrels. Marbled Godwit (upper left), Whimbrel (upper right), Long-billed Cu...
Read more

Joshua Tree Woodlands: A Tale of Sloths, Moths and the Trees that Need Them

Image
In 1844, early California explorer John C. Fremont gave a somewhat scathing review of Joshua trees when he wrote, "...their stiff and ungraceful form makes them to the traveler the most repulsive tree in the vegetable kingdom."  Rather unkind, don't you think?  But when Joshua trees were formally described by scientist William Trelease in the 1890's, he noted that Joshua Trees are "the most attractive of all the Yuccas."  I am inclined to agree with this sentiment, and must disagree most heartily with Lieutenant Fremont! I, for one, adore Joshua Trees, with their whimsical shapes and great ecological significance!  If you struggle with plant identification, the iconic Joshua tree, hallmark of the Mojave Desert, is a good place to start.  With densely spiked tufts protruding from the ends of gangly arms stretched towards the heavens, this looks like a plant straight from a Dr. Seuss book....
Read more

Birding in Adverse Weather Conditions: Wind and Rain

Image
Though I often extol the virtues and merits of winter in the Central Valley , especially when it comes to birding, the whole truth is that we experience "bad" weather also, just like anywhere else.  But even when the winter weather rolls in, the birds are still out there!  And sometimes, despite our best planning efforts, a birding day happens to coincide with crummy weather.   In that case, what's a birder to do?  Usually, we go birding anyway!   Birders far more intrepid than I regularly brave the ice and snow of northern winters to see their favorite birds, so perhaps you should look to them for real tips on winter birding!  For those of us in the valleys of California, the worst weather we see - wind and rain - is really comparatively mild.  Birding on an extremely windy day! I don't know of anyone who actually likes birding in the rain.  But I would argue that birding in the wind is just as aggravating as trying to bird in the rai...
Read more

All The Ducks!

Image
On a recent birding trip to Merced National Wildlife Refuge, I tallied up a list of sixteen different species of ducks.  Only a few more species, around twenty in total, are expected in the Central Valley of California's freshwater marshes during the winter, so I consider that to be an excellent day for ducks! North American ducks are broadly separated into two categories, largely based on their methods of foraging for food.   Dabbling ducks , also known as "puddle ducks," tend to frequent shallow water, where they are commonly seen tipping bottoms-up to feed on plant matter and invertebrates in the water and on the muddy bottom.  They are most at home in water, but walk easily on land as well, as their legs are positioned near the center of their bodies.  The wings of dabbling ducks are relatively large, which allows them to take off from the surface of the water, straight up into their air.  Dabbling ducks almost all nest on the ground, near water....
Read more

Winter Gulls: The Great I.D. Challenge

Image
Gulls are a fun challenge for birders, from beginners to experts.  A few things make gulls an interesting study: they are large and conspicuous in their open habitats, so they are easy to see, easy to put a scope on, and easy to watch and study for long periods of time.  Furthermore, gulls are almost always identifiable as gulls; none of this confusing warbler/vireo/kinglet nonsense! And yet, gulls are almost impossibly difficult!  (Though perhaps not nearly as difficult as Empidonax flycatchers!) An intimidating scene to many a birder: a mixed flock of gulls.  I see five different species of gull here. Oh, and one American Coot in the background. One of the reasons they are so complicated is most gull species take two or three years to achieve adult plumage, and go through multiple molts in a year.  So, you may be looking at three or four gulls together that look like four completely different species, when they are actually just different ages (...
Read more