Nebraskaland

July 2023 • Nebraskaland 63 Swainson's Hawk The Swainson's hawk wasn't recognized as a species until 1832. Originally, William Swainson confused this bird with the common buzzard of Europe. It wasn't until a French biologist corrected Swainson's mistake that the hawk became a new species. Swainson's hawks have distinctively long wings with pointed wingtips. This species is easily confused with red- tailed and ferruginous hawks for their coloring and banding on the wings. However, Swainson's hawks favor open habitats, such as native prairie and grasslands, and they eat mainly mammals and insects. When nesting and feeding chicks, they feed their young the three "R's": rodents, rabbits and reptiles. When they are not breeding, Swainson's hawks feed almost exclusively on insects, such as grasshoppers, dragonflies and crickets. These birds make an annual migration of around 11,000- 15,000 miles each year to South America. Ferruginous Hawk The word ferruginous means rust colored and refers to the reddish coloring of the ferruginous hawk. These birds are the largest hawks in North America and are a true western species, found in wide open spaces with rocky outcrops and cliffs, where they nest. The bulky sticks of their nests are not easily woven together with sticks, so they often build on pre-existing crow or other hawks' nests. It is said that when bison roamed the prairie, ferruginous hawks would use bison bones and hair, along with sticks and twigs, to build their homes. The hawk's diet is made of mostly small game, such as prairie dogs, jackrabbits and ground squirrels. These hawks will even walk, hop and run on the ground after their prey. During courtship, ferruginous hawks pair perform displays in the air by holding their wings above their backs while soaring, after which, the male suddenly dives at the female. When they meet, they both grab each other in midair with their powerful feet. Rough-legged Hawk If you want to spot this hawk, look outside in the wintertime. These "chunky" raptors will hover while facing into the wind. Rough-legged hawks look similarly to red-tailed hawks. However, one distinctive feature is that they have a longer tail than most other hawks and a smaller beak. Rough-legged hawks spend their summer capturing prey, such as lemmings, in the Arctic tundra. While wintering in Nebraska, you may spot one of these birds in large, open areas, feeding on ground squirrels, pocket gophers and other birds. They do so by hunting from elevated perches and dropping down on prey. Rough-legged hawks occasionally feed on carrion (dead animals), and they are known to steal food from other hawks. Hawks are fascinating birds and are more common than people think. If you want to spot one, take a road trip or keep a lookout at your feeder. They are always around. Swainson's hawk. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND Ferruginous hawk. BOB GRIER, NEBRASKALAND Rough-legged hawk. JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND

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