The short eared owl- as expected, this owl has very short ears. Themes the are nesting on top of a water tower in neighborhood. They are identified by the presence of tufts of feathers that resemble those of mammalian ears. Despite the name, these owls don’t actually screech, rather they possess some soft thrilling sounds . Your dog MAYBE too big or maybe not for the Red-tails to tackle, but you never know. This vulture has broad wings and shows quick flaps when taking low-level flights. I only recommend products and services that I use and believe to be useful and high quality. The two raptors I see the most in Philadelphia and surrounding area are Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures. A checklist narrows down the number of birds you have to learn to successfully hawk watch in your area. This checklist is to help you identify hawks in the Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey region. Many species spend the winter here with our newly mild winters. A huge bird with a similar ugly head like a Turkey vulture. Feeds while wading in shallow water, sweeping its bill back and forth. Donna, Hello, I live in the East Passyunk Crossing neighborhood of South Philadelphia, and spotted what looked like a Cooper’s Hawk on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. Saw-whet owl- This is a small owl that is found widely distributed in Pennsylvania. It can be found perching on open fields , and Telephone wires and it preys on insects, and small reptiles and amphibians. Screech owl- This owl belongs to the genus known as “megascops”. It is also one of the most gorgeous birds in Pennsylvania. Thrive Thanks for visiting. -  Designed by Osprey- this is also referred to as the fish eagle, sea hawk or river hawk . It is a very large raptor that can grow up to 60cm in length and 180cm in wing length. Rich. Golden eagle- This is one of the best birds of prey in Pennsylvania, and it remains the most widely distributed species of eagle . The head is round and the bird normally sits still when perching. I hope you find my website useful. The Bald Eagle-This is also known as the white tail eagle, or sea eagle. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Migration season is not the only time to raptor watch. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The black vulture can consume virtually all kinds of foods, these include fruits, fish, fresh meat, and carcasses of animals. I am assuming these are rather large birds you are watching. | Powered by WordPress, New Territories North & West: new projects channel hi-tech, high-end living spaces - South China Morning Post, Sansum Clinic Integrates Local Well Health Technology to Improve Patient Interaction - Noozhawk, Dain Leaders tests the digital tracking technology for international students using the 'Proof of Concept (PoC).' Learn how your comment data is processed. In mind winter, he deep hoots from these owls can be heard throughout the forests. Harris hawk- This is also referred to as the Bay wing hawk or dusky hawk. Pennsylvania has a wide distribution of prey birds, that are also known as raptors. The name of this hawk comes from its feathered legs and it usually creates its nests on cliff sides with lots of sticks. The Privacy Policy is here. all of a sudden there are a pair of red tails perching in my tree. Better to keep the dog well away from the hawks. Hi Donna, The large wings can measure between 1.6-2m in length. It is a short stocky bird with almost zero neck. American Kestrel- this is the commonest and smallest falcon bird in Pennsylvania. any clues to what they may possibly be?? The male is a beautiful color and the female is a plainer brown. It is a medium to large hawk bird of prey that has distinctive brown colour feathers. Of course this tactic applies to wherever you may live. (12/24/2016). Is it a Black Vulture? It can be found perching on open fields , and Telephone wires and … This hawk is also one of the most migratory birds in Pennsylvania. Hi, Chris – You probably did see a Cooper’s. the one i seen sitting at the nest also pretty high up had what seemed to look like a white chest and silverish to grey wings. Osprey (breeds in PA) In 2010, I saw this bird fishing in the Schuylkill River near Bartram’s Garden. i can tell they are raptors by the way they are soaring. In the meanwhile you get to take plenty of amazing photos. I want my song birds and I don’t want my dog hurt. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for contacting me. Will they attack? Raptor Migration What You Need to Know to Hawk Watch, Hawk Migration Association of North America. The Peregrine falcon- also known as the Peregrine or the duck hawk. Broad-winged Hawks are here for the summer and also fit your description. This checklist is to help you identify hawks in the Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey region. Improving your identification skills will lead to greater enjoyment of the birds around you. Thanks for sharing. Great horned owl- this is also referred to as the tiger owl or the hoot owl. What do you devise? Long bill, gray and spatulate. It has a predominantly dark colour with long wings that allows it to soar over high mountains. Hawks – there are two types of hawks in North America, accipiters and buteos, HARRIERS (only one species in North America), NEW WORLD VULTURES (feeds primarily on carrion, rarely hunts live prey), Barn and Bay Owls (heart-shaped facial disk, no ear tufts, primarily tropical, only type of owl that can hunt in total darkness), “True” Owls (round or oval facial disks, may have ear tufts). It has a distinctive brown body and white head, which makes it easier to identify. The red-tails are hunting at your feeders. My bet is on a Red-tailed or a Broad-winged Hawk. The commonest ones are; American Kestrel- this is the commonest and smallest falcon bird in Pennsylvania. Many birds of prey call the Delaware Valley home. Black vultures are large like Turkey Vultures but the head is black. it was high up but it seemed like a silverish color with white stripes on its wings it was hi in the sky. But, Black Vultures can be a tad smaller than Turkey Vulture. Cornell University’s “All About Birds” has photos to help you decide what bird you saw. The Barn owl- this remains the most widely distributed species of Owl in Pennsylvania, and North America as a whole. They are in this area during winter. It has a cat-like face with no tuff in the ears. A Golden Eagle Hi, Sandra The broad wings are capable of supporting the bird’s flight in low and high altitudes and it make some chapping noises constantly. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. When workers on our property first discribed it we told them that it is most likely a Turkey Vulture. This vulture does not have a voice box , hence it may produce a low-pitch dull sound . Turkey vulture- also referred to as the Turkey Buzzard, this special type of vulture is widely distributed in Pennsylvania and it remains the most widely spread “new world vultures”. My husband and I see many different types of birds in our area, but we are puzzled by an extremely large bird in our yard with a 8 foot or more wing span. The male species can measure up to 27cm in length and can weigh between 87 and 114g. They are known as part of a group of “Accipiter” or bird hawks. The Barred owl- This is a very large owl that is also referred to as the hoot owl because of its distinctive noise or call. Sensitive nerve endings snap bill shut when prey is found. The owls do possess long and thin bodies. The feeders are like “A Old Country” buffet for them. 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