#22 Field Tip: Follow that Sound

Jays and Crows are experts at detecting hawks and owls, and harassing them with endless calls, screeches and screams. Chickadees and titmouse also do this, as frantically, if not as loudly. This is known as mobbing, and they do this as a way to alarm others and encourage the raptors to leave, because they know that hawks and owls prey on roosting and smaller birds.

If you are out birding and hear an incessantly long jay screaming or crows squawking, follow the sound, as it may lead to an unexpected owl sighting!

photo © adrian binns

#14 Conservation Tip: Counting Hawks

Fall (mid August-late November) is the perfect time to watch kettles of hawks and streams of raptors migrating south. During this time, official hawk watching sites, such as Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and Cape May in the east, and the Goshute Mountains and Hazel Bazemore in the west, are engaged in counting numbers and documenting important information about population trends and species distribution.

Raptors are at the top of the biological food chain, and sensitive to environmental changes; they serve as a great biological indicator of the overall health of our environment. Monitoring raptors helps identify potential problems, and better understand ongoing conservation challenges. Visit a local hawk watch to enjoy some great birding and learn a little more about the importance of raptor conservation.

photo © adrian binns