This strikingly-plumaged raptor is closely related to our red-tailed hawks here in North America and occupies a similar ecological niche. Augurs are one of the highest-flying of all birds, preferring high-altitude habitats and frequently sighted soaring between 6,000...
Although they are the U.S.’s national bird, bald eagles were once threatened with extinction due to poaching, habitat loss, and exposure to pesticides such as DDT. Widely used as an agricultural insecticide, DDT began affecting eagles through a process called...
Native to Australia and Tasmania, Black Swans are easily recognizable due to their jet black feathers lined with white and their bright red eyes and bills. Males are called cobs and are larger than females, which are called pens. A group of swans is called a bank or a...
Although the Cinereous Vulture is not yet classified as endangered, their numbers are dwindling in the wild. While they are known to breed within the Korean peninsula, China and Mongolia, the harsh winters in their northern territory often drive them to migrate into...
Eurasian eagle owls are one of the largest species of owls in the world; while great gray owls have longer bodies and Blakiston’s fish owls are often heavier, Eurasian eagle owls have the largest wingspan. They are widespread throughout many parts of Europe, Asia, and...
European Starlings, also known as Common Starlings, or just Starlings in parts of Europe, are one of the most numerous and successful birds in the world. They have long, sharp beaks, triangular wings, and glossy green-black feathers. They are highly adaptive, which...
The ferruginous hawk is the largest hawk species in North America. Their name comes from the Latin word “ferrum,” meaning iron, for the rust-colored patches on their wings. Unlike most hawks, they have feathers extending all the way down their legs. Because of their...
One of the largest and most widely distributed raptors in the world, the golden eagle is capable of hunting over 200 species of prey, ranging from rabbits to swans to small deer. There have even been reported cases of eagles successfully killing seals, mountain goats,...
The great horned owl is the most common owl of the Americas, easily identified by the iconic feather tufts on its head. While these are often referred to as horns or ears, they are actually just feather tufts called “plumicorns.” It’s thought that they help with...
A distinctive bird, the king vulture is easily recognized. The wings are short and quite broad and from the neck down the birds are white with a black band running along the rear edge of the wings. A small collar of feathers at the base of the neck is blackish-gray...
These falcons are formidable hunters that prey on other birds (and bats) in mid-flight. Peregrines hunt from above and, after sighting their prey, drop into a steep, swift dive that can top 230 miles an hour. This makes them the fastest animal on the planet. ...
Although sandhill cranes are found mostly in Canada and Alaska during the summer, these migratory birds pass through the western United States in flocks of up to 10,000 individuals! These birds are wetland specialists, wading through marshes to forage for plants,...
Although vultures often have a bad reputation, they are a vital part of a healthy ecosystem. Vultures are obligate scavengers, meaning that their diet is almost entirely composed of dead animals. This requires special adaptations; for example, vultures have bald or...
Wedge tailed eagles are Australia’s largest bird of prey and the only natural predator to many species of venomous snakes on the Australian continent. Though they prefer wooded forests and grassland, they are known to survive harsh conditions in the Australian outback...
Western screech owls are a small species of owl common throughout the West. They are closely related to their eastern counterpart, the Eastern Screech Owl, but make different vocalizations. Contrary to their name, western screech owls don’t actually make a...