Red-shouldered Hawk

by Donna Kennedy

Title

Red-shouldered Hawk

Artist

Donna Kennedy

Medium

Photograph - Photographs

Description

Original Fine Art Photography and digital artwork by Donna Kennedy
Texture added for an artistic enhancement-Photographed in Sun City Center FL...

Red-shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus) are forest raptors. A hawk of the woodlands, often heard before it is seen. The clear whistled calls of this hawk are conspicuous, especially in spring; in the east, Blue Jays often give a near-perfect imitation of this call. Over much of eastern North America the Red-shoulder has become uncommon, sticking closely to the remaining forests. Populations in Florida and California are often more visible, perhaps adapting better to open habitats.
They are not exclusively birds of deep forest, though; you’ll find Red-shouldered Hawks in some suburban areas where houses or other buildings are mixed into woodlands. Red-shouldered Hawks eat mostly small mammals, lizards, snakes, and amphibians. They hunt from perches below the forest canopy or at the edge of a pond, sitting silently until they sight their prey below.
In populated areas, such as forested suburban developments, they can become very unconcerned and approachable by people, but in wilder areas they flush easily. On their territories, Red-shouldered Hawks are aggressive, sometimes locking talons with intruding hawks and also attacking crows, Great Horned Owls, and even humans.
Both male and female build the nest, or refurbish a prior year’s nest. Stick nests are about 2 feet in diameter and lined with bark, moss, lichens, and conifer sprigs. The parents continue to add fresh green leaves throughout the nesting season.
Usually these hawks will have 3-4 eggs, sometimes 2. Pale bluish-white, blotched with brown and lavender. Incubation is mostly by the female, roughly 33 days. The male brings food to the female on the nest, and may take a turn sitting on the eggs while the female eats. The Female remains with the young most of time for the first 1-3 weeks after they hatch; the male brings food to the female so she can feed the nestlings. The young leave the nest at about 5-7 weeks after hatching, and are fed by parents for another 8-10 weeks. 0324

Thank you to the Administrators that Featured this photo in the following Groups:
-FAA Portraits-Birds
-Digital Art and Photography for a Simple Imagination
-Topaz Simplify-Glow-Impression Photo Renderings
-Canon Full Frame Cameras
-Art-It Is Good For You
-Wildlife One A Day
-Lady Photographers and Artists
-Arts Fantastic World
-Camera Art

Uploaded

April 9th, 2018

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