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Marana, Arizona
Canon Powershot sx10is
1-8-11
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed hawk is the most variable and widespread north American raptor. It is equally at home in mountains, deserts,prairies, and farmlands. A year round resident in most of the United States, the RT is the hawk most likey to be seen along highways. Utility poles and fence posts have become the accustomed perch of these raptors.
Coming in a huge variety of colors and morphs. Hunting mostly rodents from perches or in the air.
While searching for prey, these hawks will hover in place, sometimes kiting, or hanging motionless in the wind, as it scours the land.
Red-tailed hawks tend to keep the same territories their whole lives. These territories can be as large as 9.6 square miles (25 square kilometers). The birds defend their area with aerial displays of steep dives and climbs, the males and females gliding together. Red-tails pair up for life and their aerial courtships are much like their territorial displays.
VOICE a distinctive call, a harsh, descending keeeeeeer
INTERESTING FACTS
- The raspy cry of the Red-tailed Hawk is typically used in movies to represent any eagle or hawk anywhere in the world.
- They can spot a mouse from a height of 100 feet.
- Males and females perform a courtship ritual in which they dive and roll in the sky. They will even lock talons and fall together a distance before splitting apart.
- A group of hawks has many collective nouns, including a “boil”, “knot”, “spiraling”, “stream”, and “tower” of hawks.
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My goal is to get my name out there among the vast ocean of Natural photographers. To be known for my skill with a Point & Shoot~
My images are not photo shopped. They have only been adjusted with basic sharpening, contrasting & saturation techniques. I believe that in order to appreciate Nature, you have to capture it as it is, naturally.
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Comments
A COOL SHOT, FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS A BIG HAWK SITS IN THE TREE ACROSS THE ROAD, I THINK I MAY HAVE GOTTEN A SHOT BUT NO AWARD WINNER LIKE YOURS!
I do thank you RoseMarie! This was simply a by chance capture. I was walking and saw him from a far. Walk up and past him, turned around and found him through the view finder. Started snapping. I was 15 Feet from him!! Not making eye contact with them is my key! You will get closer if you avoid the eye contact!!
– Kimberly P-Chadwick
Terrific capture with wonderful details and colors!!…Tony
Thank you tony so very much!!I was walking and saw him from a far. Walk up and past him, turned around and found him through the view finder. Started snapping. I was 15 Feet from him!!
– Kimberly P-Chadwick
Great capture!
Thank you Bobby!
– Kimberly P-Chadwick
Excellent!!
I appreciate that Marvin, thank you! I was walking and saw him from a far. Walk up and past him, turned around and found him through the view finder. Started snapping. I was 15 Feet from him!!
– Kimberly P-Chadwick
Excellent!!
I just took my first Red Tail Hawk photo today. He is a young one but it was very exciting nonetheless.
Absolutely! Congrats on your find!!I was walking and saw him from a far. Walk up and past him, turned around and found him through the view finder. Started snapping. I was 15 Feet from him!!
– Kimberly P-Chadwick
A wonderfully detailed capture Kimberly!
I was walking and saw him from a far. Walk up and past him, turned around and found him through the view finder. Started snapping. I was 15 Feet from him!! Thank you Trish!!
– Kimberly P-Chadwick
I know that adjustment…. Great shot, great timing! We have a very light-colored Red Tail that hangs around our back yard & our back field… it’s not leucistic, but it is striking in its whiteness with its dark markings & rather pale (comparatively) red tail. It is FASCINATING to watch the squirrels when this big bird is in the area… usually starts out with a riot of the local murder of crows, so when you hear that particular crow call/shriek/chaos, you know what’s up. I’ve seen the hawk pass through our yard, very low, with 6 or 8 crows giving chase. The squirrels & the small birds freeze… one time two of the Gray squirrels ran at lightning speed from the foot of our back steps (where they’d been scarfing down peanuts at a great rate) to the shelter of my husband’s car when a Blue Jay’s call changed from Here Be Peanuts to LOOK OUT; I heard the change in that call, & at the same moment, the squirrels took off. I could watch this stuff all day long…. Years ago, if you saw a Red Tail, it was an event. Their successful return is a tribute to their adaptability! Wonderful shot, Kimberly!
I was walking and saw him from a far. Walk up and past him, turned around and found him through the view finder. Started snapping. I was 15 Feet from him!! Thank you for that story, I got quite the chuckle from the vision…lol. Thank you very much Sheila!! I hope you had a great holiday and wish you a happy new year!!
– Kimberly P-Chadwick
Really beautiful shot Kimberly, well done!
Thank you Deb very much!
– Kimberly P-Chadwick
Wonderful capture Kimberly! Congrats!
Thank you again my new friend, I appreciate that!!
– Kimberly P-Chadwick