Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed hawks occur across the continent in quite a variety of plumage colorations. In the East, however, count on a […]
Red-shouldered Hawk
Robin-orange shoulder patches and breast barring are hallmarks of the adult red-shouldered hawk. Although chunky, the red-shouldered is slimmer than
Red-shouldered Hawk Read More »
Osprey
Look for Chocolate-brown above and pure white below, the osprey is armed with long, pale green legs and grappling-hook talons
Merlin
The merlin is a medium-sized falcon, larger than an American kestrel and more heavily streaked overall. Its streakiness makes it
Cooper’s Hawk
Care must be taken to differentiate the Cooper’s hawk from the similar sharp-shinned hawk. Adults of both species have similar
Forster’s Tern
Perhaps the best field mark for identifying Forster’s tern is its silvery white upperwing highlights. It can take a few seconds
Caspian Tern
The gull-sized Caspian tern is no wallflower, and as befits its character, the bird is not shy about shouting out
Common Tern
During breeding season the bill, which is black most of the year, is black tipped and the colorful base is
Black Skimmer
One of our most distinctive birds, the black skimmer is named for its method of foraging—its elongated lower bill (mandible)
Common Gallinule
A charcoal gray bird with a rusty back, white body striping, and a red bill, the common gallinule is equally at
American Coot
What looks like a duck and acts like a duck, but is not a duck? It’s the American coot, of
Sora
The first requirement of successful rail watching is learning to identify suitable habitat. The sora, especially on migration and in