Three kinds of hawks, ospreys, American kestrels and
rough-legged hawks have the habit of regularly hovering into the wind. They
each have developed that trait independently of each other to remain stationary
in the air as they watch for prey below. And each species is entertaining to
watch.
Ospreys are large, dark and white, fish-catching hawks that are the only species in their genus. They live world-wide, including locally during the warmer months. They soar over larger bodies of water and hover on powerfully pumping wings at various spots above it in their search for bigger fish near the surface. When prey is spotted each osprey dives and plunges into the water feet first to snare the fish in its curved, sharp talons. They are successful much of the time and use their powerful wings to pull themselves out of the water and into the wind carrying their victim. They take their prey to a tree limb or a boulder where they consume it bit by bit with their sharp beaks. Ospreys probably developed that hovering technique because there are no perches over the middle of larger bodies of water.
American Kestrels, as species, live here the year around, raising young in cavities during the summer. These small falcons are often seen perched on roadside wires and hovering on rapidly beating wings over fields, meadows, roadsides and grassy median strips along expressways as they watch for mice and larger insects among the vegetation. Kestrels are adapted to farmland and other open country that may have few perches from which to watch for prey. Occasionally a kestrel is killed by a passing vehicle as it drops to the ground to catch a victim.
Kestrels have attractive plumages. Males have orange, black and gray patterns while females and young are brown and dark for camouflage.
Rough-legged Hawks nest on cliffs in the high Arctic tundra, and come south for winter, the time of year we see them in southeastern Pennsylvania. Since there are few places to perch above ground to watch for prey, rough-legs also developed the habit of hovering into the wind. Rough-legs are big raptors, but have small feet adapted to catching mice, which is their most common food. There are two color phases of them; black and dark with buff on the head and neck. Individuals of each color phase have white at the bases of their tails.
Ospreys are large, dark and white, fish-catching hawks that are the only species in their genus. They live world-wide, including locally during the warmer months. They soar over larger bodies of water and hover on powerfully pumping wings at various spots above it in their search for bigger fish near the surface. When prey is spotted each osprey dives and plunges into the water feet first to snare the fish in its curved, sharp talons. They are successful much of the time and use their powerful wings to pull themselves out of the water and into the wind carrying their victim. They take their prey to a tree limb or a boulder where they consume it bit by bit with their sharp beaks. Ospreys probably developed that hovering technique because there are no perches over the middle of larger bodies of water.
American Kestrels, as species, live here the year around, raising young in cavities during the summer. These small falcons are often seen perched on roadside wires and hovering on rapidly beating wings over fields, meadows, roadsides and grassy median strips along expressways as they watch for mice and larger insects among the vegetation. Kestrels are adapted to farmland and other open country that may have few perches from which to watch for prey. Occasionally a kestrel is killed by a passing vehicle as it drops to the ground to catch a victim.
Kestrels have attractive plumages. Males have orange, black and gray patterns while females and young are brown and dark for camouflage.
Rough-legged Hawks nest on cliffs in the high Arctic tundra, and come south for winter, the time of year we see them in southeastern Pennsylvania. Since there are few places to perch above ground to watch for prey, rough-legs also developed the habit of hovering into the wind. Rough-legs are big raptors, but have small feet adapted to catching mice, which is their most common food. There are two color phases of them; black and dark with buff on the head and neck. Individuals of each color phase have white at the bases of their tails.
Look for these hovering hawks at the times of year indicated. They are entertaining.
Photo courtesy of David Mitchell
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