Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni

Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni This hawk is a common bird of open areas in the West. In migration, it is often seen in huge flocks; the birds rise on warm currents of air, spiraling upward, then descend in a long glide to the bottom of another thermal air current. It frequently hunts from fence posts and low trees, and often watches for prey from the ground.

Identification 19-22". Dark brown above with white throat and dark band across breast; outer flight feathers dark gray; wing linings white. Tail gray above, light below, with white tip. Dark-phase bird sooty-brown all over. Immature blackish brown above, buff below, with variable spots and streaks.

Voice Usually silent; sometimes whistles at nest.

Habitat Open plains, prairies, and meadows; sometimes nests in wetland areas.

Range Breeds mainly from S. British Columbia and Prairie Provinces south to south-central California, Arizona, New Mexico, and W. Texas; also in E. Alaska. Winters mainly in South America.

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensisThe most widely distributed large hawk in North America, the Red-tailed is able to tolerate a broad range of habitats. There are several races of this species; the one most commonly encountered in the West is a bird of open country; it tends to have a darker head and more heavily marked underparts than eastern Red-tails.

Identification 19-25". Large; typical bird dark brown above, usually light below with dark band on belly. Tail rufous with dark band and paler tip. Geographical variations include a dark brown color phase and a pale phase with a white tail. Immature has grayish tail with narrow bands.

Voice A loud, harsh, descending tseer, usually given when disturbed.

Habitat Grasslands, pastures, open woods, and farmlands; also in plains, tundra, and deserts with scattered trees.

Range Breeds throughout most of North America; winters from Canadian border south.

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetosThe majestic Golden Eagle often soars with its wings horizontal, watching from high in the air for the movement of a small mammal, snake, or turtle. Now protected by law, this species was formerly killed in great numbers, partly because of a mistaken belief that the bird is a threat to livestock. Golden Eagles rarely attack a healthy large animal, but they will take crippled or ailing lambs, deer, and waterfowl.

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Identification 30-40". Adult brown or dark brown overall; crown and nape edged with gold or tan. Immature similar; white wing patch and tail band visible in flight.

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Voice Usually silent; occasional mews and squeals.

Habitat Mountain canyons, ranchland, open countryside, forests, and tundra.

Range Breeds from NW. Alaska to N. Quebec, south to S. California, W. Texas, N. Manitoba, and Labrador. Winters from N. British Columbia and central Quebec-south to southern limit of breeding range.

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Despite its fame, the Bald Eagle is rare. The victim of poisoning by pesticides, chiefly DDT, the species suffered a catastrophic decline; the outlawing of some poisons has helped to maintain these birds. The Bald Eagle is also shot illegally in many places, and in some areas its wetland habitat has been destroyed. Today, large numbers of these magnificent birds are found only in carefully patrolled wildlife refuges.

Identification 30-43". Very large, brown, hawklike bird with white head and tail and stout, hooked yellow bill. Immature variable, but with dark head and tail and black bill.

Voice A series of squeaky, thin cackling or chittering notes.

Habitat Seacoasts, lakes, rivers, and marshes.

Range Breeds in forested areas of Alaska and Canada south to Oregon, N. Idaho, Great Lakes area, and N. New England; also locally along Atlantic and Gulf coasts and in Florida. Winters from S. Canada south, especially along major river systems of the interior.

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Large and mainly black, with a naked red head, the Turkey Vulture has more appeal in flight than it does when perched ominously in a tree. When it flies, this bird holds its wings in a shallow V; it does not flap its wings often, but tilts and glides, taking advantage of rising currents of warm air to gain altitude.

Identification 26-32". Large and blackish, with small, unfeathered red head and stout bill with sharply hooked tip. Legs and feet orange. Silvery-gray wing linings conspicuous in flight, making wings appear two-toned. Immature has dark head and gray feet.

Voice Generally silent; utters hisses and groans at nest or when disturbed.

Habitat Dry, open country; often along roadsides; sometimes roosts in woods.

Range Breeds from S. British Columbia to S. New England, south to Mexico. Winters from New Jersey to Florida and E. Texas; also in parts of the Southwest.

Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus

Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Introduced from Asia only a little more than a century ago, the Ring-necked Pheasant is now so well established in North America that it is the state bird of South Dakota. This species runs as often as it flies, and is comfortable in a wide variety of habitats, as long as there is suitable brushy cover. A male may mate with as many as four hens, each of which establishes a nest within the male's territory or crowing area.

Identification Male 30-36"; female 20-26". Chickenlike, with long, pointed tail. Male has bright green or blue-green head, red face, white neck-ring; body and wings iridescent bronze, gold, and red, with bold, dark spotting. Female soft brown, spotted and barred with black.

Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Voice A loud, crowing cuck-cuck or caiv-caiv, accompanied by loud wingbeats. Male cackles when taking off.

Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Habitat Grassy and brushy areas near woodlands; farms, pastures; also in cattail marshes in winter.

Range Much of United States and S. Canada in suitable farm regions; absent from high mountains and deserts.

Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus

Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus

This large, ungainly-looking cuckoo runs swiftly through deserts and woodlands in pursuit of lizards and other prey; it also runs to escape enemies (including the coyote), and it has been clocked at 15 mph, although its usual pace is somewhat more sedate. At dawn, the male Greater Roadrunner can be heard calling through the desert stillness from the top of a mesa or the branches of a dead tree.

Identification 20-24". Large, upright, with bushy crest and long tail. Streaked brown and buff above and on breast; dingy white on belly. Iridescence in tail and upperparts visible at close range; also blue-and-red patch behind eye. Immature lacks eye patch.

Voice A long, sad, descending coo, coo, coo, ooh, ooh, ooh; also a variety of whines and clucks.

Habitat Open, dry areas with scattered brush and thickets; open woodlands, agricultural areas, and grasslands.

Range N. California east to S. Kansas and NW. Louisiana, south into Mexico.