Birds

Owlets ready to fledge

NPS Photo/ncastoro

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Appearance: Adult Great horned owls are large, stout birds with prominent feathered tufts on thier heads, giving them a "horned" appearence. They have large yellow eyes, a flattened face, and a barred feather pattern on their belly. Their feathers are generally brown with darker brown markings, and they have a white throat.

Lifespan: In the wild, they typically live for 13-15 years, with some individuals reaching 27-28 years

Size: The average length is 22 inches and a wingspan of 48 inches. They can weigh between 2.2 and 3.8 pounds.

Habitat: Great horned owls are found in a wide range of habitats, from dense forests to urban areas. They are adaptable and can thrive in diverse environments, including deserts, wetlands, grasslands, and even human-made structures like backyards. They often roost in trees, snags, brush, cavities, and ledges.

Diet: Great Horned Owls are opportunistic predators with a diverse diet, primarily consisting of mammals and birds. They are known to hunt a wide variety of prey, including rodents, rabbits, skunks, other birds, and even some larger mammals like porcupines and raccoons. They may also consume reptiles, amphibians, insects, and fish, and will even eat carrion when other food sources are scarce.

Reproduction: Great horned owl reproduction invlolves a pair of owls establishing a territory and breeding during specific seasons. They typically nest in abandoned structures like hawk, crow, or squirrel nests, and their clutch size can range from 1 to 6 eggs, averaging 3.

Mating: Great horned owls form lasting mating pairs and communicate through hooting. Males hoot year-round, while females usually hoot during the mating season.

 

Bald Eagle

NPS Photo / Daniel Peterson

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Appearence: They have a white head and tail, dark brown body. The wings are long and fingered.

WingSpan: Up to 8 feet

Lifespan: 20 to 30 years in the wild

Habitat: Usually found in areas abundant with large, tall trees and large bodies of water.

Diet: The Bald Eagle is both a scavenger and a hunter.
Reproduction: They lay two or three eggs, which are incubated for about 35 days

Mating: Bald eagles are monogamous and mate for life, with both parents sharing parental duties when looking after their offspring. Having found a suitable nest, they will continue to use that same one for years on end and perform elaborate mating displays to reinforce the bond between the mating pair.

 

The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

Appearence: This bird has a rusty colored back and tail. Males have blue gray wings while females have wings that are rust colored.

Lifespan: Thier lifespan of les then 5 years for wild birds. The oldest banded wild bird was 11 years and 7 months, while captive kestrels can live up to 14–17 years.

Size: The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America, measuring around 9 to 12 inches in length and having a wingspan of 20 to 24 inches. Females are slightly larger than males. Males typically weigh 80-143 grams (2.8-5.0 oz), and females weigh 86-165 grams (3.0-5.8 oz).

Habitat: While some American Kestrels migrate to Central America, the great majority spend the winter in the southern United States. Kestrels can often be seen along mountain ridges and at hawk watches during fall migration

Diet: They catch prey, like large insects and small mammals, on ground rather than in the air.

Reproducton: Females primarily lay eggs, incubate, and care for the young, while males are involved in courtship displays, establishing territories, and providing food. Breeding season typically occurs from early spring to late summer, with a clutch size of 3-7 eggs, usually incubated for about 30 days.

Mating: They form monogamous pair bonds.

 

Turkey Vulture

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Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Appearance: They haave mostly brown-black coloration with an unfeathered red head, and yellow feet.

Lifespan: They typically nest in caves, hollow trees, or thickets and lay an average of two eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the young by regurgitation. The young fledge and become independent within a few months.

Size: They average 2 1/2 feet tall with a 6 foot wingspan. In spite of their large size, they only weigh about 3 pounds

Habitat: Turkey Vultures are found in various open and semi-open habitats throughout the Americas, including forests, deserts, and grasslands. They prefer areas with open country and access to cliffs or large trees for nesting and roosting.

Diet: Turkey Vultures have a useful ecological role.They help cycle nutrients in the ecosystem by eating the flesh of dead animals.

Reproduction: They typically nest in caves, hollow trees, or thickets and lay an average of two eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the young by regurgitation. The young fledge and become independent within a few months.

Mating: Turkey vultures are typically monogamous, forming strong pair bonds that often last for life or many years.

 

Sharp-Tailed Grouse

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Sharp-Tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus)

Appearance: They are speckled with white edged pointed tail. This bird will make a cluck and a dove-like coo.

Lifespan: The maximum lifespan for male and female sharp-tailed grouse is 7.5 years.

Size: Typically they measure between 15 abd 20 inches in length. They weigh between 2 and 3 pounds, and their wingspan can range from 24 to 25 inches. Both males and females are similar in size.

Habitat: They can be found in park along the road and in the tall grass.

Diet: These birds forage on the ground in summer, in trees in winter. They eat seeds, buds, berries, forbs, and leaves, and Insects.

Reproduction: Females typically lay 9-12 eggs, with incubation lasting 21-23 days.

Mating: Each spring male Sharp-Tailed Grouse create booming sounds during courtship dances. The courtship dance is called a lek.

 

Chukar partridge

Wiki

Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar)

Appearance: It has black strips on it sides, black outline around throat, and red bill and legs.

Origin: They are native to the Middle East and southern Asia. This species was brought across the ocean as a game bird.

Lifespan: Chukars typically live between 3 and 5 years.

Size: They are medium-sized birds, averaging 13 to 15 inches in length and weighting around 20 ounces.

Habitat: They are typically found in dry, rocky, high-elevation shrublands and mountians. They prefer steep, rocky slopes with a mix of brush, grasses, and forbs, often with sagebrush as a dominant plant species. Chukars are also found in barren plateaus and deserts with sparse grasses.

Diet: The diet of a Chukar Partridge changes with season and consists of seeds, leaves, berries, and insects.

Reproduction: Chukars breed in the spring and summer. Females build simple nests, often scrapes in the ground, lined with grasses and feathers. They lay 7-21 eggs, with the average being around 10.5 chicks. The female incubates the eggs for about 24 days.