Males are noted for their high-spirited and acrobatic courtship displays, in particular a series of dives and barrel rolls in multiple loops that serve as a means of advertising territory occupancy. The larger females have rich brown upperparts while adult males are mostly light to medium gray, sometimes appearing almost ghostly silvery-white. Commonly encountered in large expanses of open country, its main hunting technique is through use of a distinctive buoyant, gliding flight low over the ground that relies heavily on visual as well as auditory cues to detect prey. The Northern harrier is a slender, medium-sized hawk characterized by a noticeably long tail, bold white rump patch, and owl-like face. It was removed from the federal ESA in Oregon in 2007 and removed from the Oregon state threatened species list in 2012. Recovery took decades and involved agencies, organizations, politicians, landowners, and the American public. The Bald eagle was brought back from the brink of extinction when the federal government banned the use of DDT in 1972 and listed the eagle under the federal Endangered Species Act in 1978. The Bald eagle breeds in 32 of 36 Oregon counties and is found throughout the state during non-breeding season. Sexes have similar plumages, but females are larger than males, and the sex of individuals in breeding pairs can usually be determined by size when they perch close together. Six age-related plumages have been recognized adult plumage is acquired at four-and-a-half to five years of age. Large size, wingspan of six-and-a-half to eight feet, and the contrast of white head and tail, and yellow eyes, beak, and leg, to dark brown body and wings make the adult Bald eagle one of our most distinctive raptors. It is one of the most studied North American birds. The Bald eagle is one of eight species of sea-eagle worldwide, and the only sea-eagle found throughout North America. The highest concentration of known nest locations is in the Medford, Jackson County area. It is probably a permanent resident in the Willamette, Umpqua, Rogue, Illinois, and Applegate valleys and along the coast. Young-of-the-year are easily distinguished by a rusty band across the breast, rusty markings on the head, and a thin gray band near the end of the tail. Above, they are light gray with black shoulder patches. Dark crescents on the underwing can be seen when a bird is flying or hovering. The tail is entirely white, as are the head and the underparts. White-tailed kites in Oregon often roost communally in winter, but they disperse in early spring and are more difficult to find during the breeding season.īy day, they are conspicuous as they hover over rural fields searching for prey, in part because of their pale appearance. The Peregrine falcon is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the Coast Range and Northern Basin and Range ecoregions.Īs the winter day turns to dusk, White-tailed kites drop into their roosts and Short-eared owls rise to take their place on the local hunting grounds. It is a regular breeder and uncommon migrant. In Oregon, Peregrines occur as resident and migratory populations. Peregrines are medium-sized raptors, and share characteristics with all falcons: bill conspicuously toothed and notched, presence of a nasal cone, and pointed wings for swift flight. It has, for perhaps 4,000 years, been used by falconers because of its skill in capturing game birds in tandem hunts with humans. They are one of Oregon's boldest raptors, and have been observed usurping active Golden eagle nest sites, stealing fish from Ospreys and ground squirrels from adult Bald eagles who stray into their territory. They are described as the fastest animal on the planet, and have been recorded reaching speeds in excess of 240 miles an hour in dives after prey. Peregrine falcons are among the most charismatic and noted of the world's birds. The American kestrel breeds statewide in open terrain from sea level to the alpine zone in the mountains. These birds soar with their long and pointed wings flat, and regularly hover over open and partly open country with scattered trees, including cultivated lands and occasionally suburban areas. Females are slightly larger than males and have reddish-brown backs and upper wing coverts that are barred with dark brown. Juvenile males are similar to adult males but have heavily streaked breasts. The tail has a wide black subterminal band. Adult males have rufous backs and tails with blue-grey upper wing coverts. It has two considerably different plumages: adult male and female and juvenile males differ somewhat from adult males until post-juvenile mold in fall. Formerly known in American literature as the Sparrow hawk, this is the smallest (dove-sized) and most familiar and abundant member of the family Falconidae in North America and one of the easiest raptors to observe.
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