This was taken in Peteluma. I couldn't believe the bird just sat there and let me snap as many pictures as I wanted. I believe it is a red-tail hawk. It was such a delightful day out, just like my next two weeks will be. If it wasn't for yoga, friends, and these outings, I would quit my job which means retire early and volunteer. Then I could choose which students to work with. I love my job, but I don't like some students ruining the experience for other students continuously day after day. I want to teach, not babysit. Enough said...
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Red-tailed hawks are birds of prey. They hunt rabbits,
squirrels, lizards, mice or other rodents (or any small animal). Their
sharp vision allows them to spot their targets from the height of trees
or telephone poles. Red-tailed hawks prefer to live in open spaces, such
as fields, deserts and mountains, where it can be more difficult for
prey to hide. The space also allows the aerial hunter to dive down and
catch its prey. Hawks, unlike falcons, dive slowly, feet first, with
their talons outstretched and ready to grab their meal.
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These birds of prey mate for life. Their typical mating
ritual involves dancing together through the air; a dance that ends with
a death-defying stunt. The birds lock their talons together and plummet
toward the ground in an uncontrolled fall before separating again. Once
mated, red-tailed hawks will often hunt as a team. They also parent as a
team, taking turns warming eggs and feeding chicks. Red-tail hawks
often choose a territory of their own, living in the same nest and
hunting in the same fields throughout their lives.
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Did you know that red-tailed hawks are one of the few birds
of prey that actually "scream?" According to the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology, whenever a bird of prey (of any species) is shown hunting
or diving in films, the sound effect that is used is almost always a
red-tailed hawk cry. Despite fearsome cry and large size, the biggest of
red-tailed hawks rarely weighs more than three pounds. Red-tailed hawks
also have an impressive life span, averaging 21 years in the wild. The
oldest known red-tailed hawk lived almost 29 years.
