Sep 20, 2018
American Kestrel
*This is an excerpt from Common Birds of Prey of Alabama, ANR – 1386.
Though found year round throughout most of the contiguous United States, the American kestrel is listed as a species of high conservation concern in Alabama. With rufous-colored tails and backs, slate blue wings and caps, and pale undersides, American kestrels are the most colorful raptor in the United States. Apart from their distinctive coloration, these birds also display several characteristic dark barring patterns including two dark bars descending from the eyes, barred backs, and a dark band at the bottom of the tail. Another identifying characteristic is a habit of repeated tail bobbing when perched. American kestrels utilize a broad range of habitats from deserts and grasslands to sparsely wooded (i.e., open) forests.
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*This is an excerpt from Common Birds of Prey of Alabama, ANR – 1386
The great horned owl is the largest and probably most common owl species in Alabama. Though most easily identified by their large size and widely spaced ear tufts, great horned owls are mostly gray above and barred beneath with rusty-orange feathers around their eyes. Common habitats include agricultural fields, forests, and forest edges, but these birds can be found in almost any habitat harboring enough prey to support them.
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Download a PDF of Common Birds of Prey of Alabama, ANR – 1386.
*This is an excerpt from Common Birds of Prey of Alabama, ANR – 1386
Found primarily in large forests, barred owls are easily identified by the brown streaks visible on their bellies and their lack of ear tufts. These birds also have dark eyes, which distinguish them from most other eastern owls, which have yellow eyes.
Read here to learn more about common birds of prey of Alabama.
Download a PDF of Common Birds of Prey of Alabama, ANR – 1386.
*This is an excerpt from Common Birds of Prey of Alabama, ANR – 1386.
Found year round throughout Alabama, Cooper’s hawks are similar to sharp-shinned hawks. Averaging around one pound, Cooper’s hawks are larger than sharp-shinned hawks. Almost identical in coloration, Cooper’s hawks can be distinguished from sharpshinned hawks by their longer, rounder tails, larger heads and straighter wings. As with sharp-shinned hawks, Cooper’s hawks eat mostly smaller songbirds and are found in and around forests.
Read here to learn more about common birds of prey of Alabama.
Download a PDF of Common Birds of Prey of Alabama, ANR – 1386.