Miscellaneous Birds

The Harris' Hawk is probably one of the most colorful and striking hawks in the United States.  Found only in the southwest it is a treat to see and is sought after by many bird watchers.

This hawk is a rich, dark brown all over with mahogany shoulder patches and legs.  Its wing linings to the "knuckle" are also mahogany.  In flight, its tail has a wide black band near the end and a white narrow tip.  This hawk is not large at only 21" long and with a wing span of just under four feet.

The Harris' Hawk can be found in semi-arid lands of the southwest.  A very social bird, you may find one or more hunting together in scattered scrub lands.  They feed upon small mammals, birds, lizards, snakes and large insects.  They may also take a larger animal the size of a rabbit.  It is an extremely powerful flyer and will often pursue prey into dense mesquite and cactus, sometimes running across the ground.

The Great Blue Heron can be found in wet areas along roadside ditches, lakes, streams, and shorelines.  It is one of the most common large wading birds in the southwest.  The Great Blue stands around 4 feet in height with a wingspan of five to six feet.  It feeds upon any aquatic creature that it can catch while wading in shallow water.  At camp sites, this bird has been know to take mice as well as full grown grey squirrels.

The Great Blue is a study in patience and stalking.  Because its legs are quite long, it can wade and feed in relatively deep water.  Sometimes it will wait in water up to its lower body waiting for a fish or tadpole to swim past.  As long as there is some success in capturing food, a heron will return to feed.

This information taken from Favorite Birds of the Southwest by Dick Schnikel and David Mohrhardt.

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Last modified: July 06, 2005