Red shouldered hawk

[Dutch]

I’ve spent all my life in SWMO much of it out of doors.  I don’t remember ever seeing one before.  I had some meat trimmings that I put outside a while ago.  A red shouldered hawk flew down and has spent the last 20 minutes eating it.  I had to look it up to identify it.  Are they common where you live?

 

 

[FishnDave]

We occasionally have them in our back yard in St Louis.  They like to hunt squirrels by dropping straight down on them... or so I've read.

[Quillback]

Pretty common here in Bella Vista.  Usually have at least one pair around the house every spring.  Pretty neat to see them flying low to the ground through the woods dodging trees.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I had one stalking my birdbath for a couple years but I haven’t seen him this year.  My daughter saw a bird ripping through some Xmas decorations on the house across the street from her.  It was red shouldered hawk attacking some birds that nested in it. 

[fishinwrench]

We're lousy with hawks here on the Westside of Lake O.  Their M.O. is to soar high and focus on the roads, and when they notice something cross a road.....they let out a screech and HERE THEY COME ! 

They work together like packs of wolves.  

If they'd focus on feral cats it would be great, but they tend to focus solely on rabbits, squirrels, snakes, and box turtles.  I'd love to declare war on them, and I just might do that when I feel I can get away with it.  😎

[Dutch]

It appears that I need to be more observant.  I may be seeing them and not realizing it.

[fishinwrench]

Red tails, Red shoulders, Tan, Brown, Speckled, ect.     I don't know how many actual different species we have.   I kinda assumed that they look different depending on their age.   They all seem to act the same, make the same noises, and are all about the same size and shape, and have the same diet.  

All are just freakin' Hawks to me.   Pardon me, but I'm sick of all of them.   🤷‍♂️

[tjm]

I see Coopers, Sharp=shinned and Red-tailed more often than the others, except in winter while driving the interstate. They all seem to perch near the road during migration periods and I once counted 27 hawks in 17 miles. Some I could identify and some I couldn't. They say ten species can be seen in Mo.  and they don't all look alike nor are they all of similar size nor all make the same sounds. I have seen a couple that passed through that weren't supposed to be here too, so strays happen.

https://www.birdadvisors.com/hawks-missouri/

https://birdwatchinghq.com/hawks-in-missouri/

And the best link I know of to find info on any bird - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/#

[Quillback]

Few years ago came back from bird hunting in Kansas, must have been one of TJM's migration deals because it seemed like there was one perched about every half mile.