Hawk Watch

A few days ago we had an unexpected raptor sighting. While on a walk in our neighborhood we heard the distinct call of the Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus). It was surprising, as we had never heard or seen one in our neighborhood in the three years that we have lived here. After a quick scan, we found the hawk perched in a snag (dead tree) calling out.
To hear the call of the broad-winged hawk click here.

The broad-winged hawk is a small, stocky, forest-dwelling hawk. They are a migratory hawk and breed here in eastern deciduous forests. In fall it completely leaves its breeding grounds and migrates to central and south America where it spends its winter. Huge numbers of migrating broad-wings can be seen at Hawk Watch stations across the Americas. It usually migrates in large flocks or "kettles" that can range from a couple of individuals to thousands!
This is a picture of a kettle (or vortex) of thousands migrating raptors taken in Veracruz, Mexico.

To learn more about Hawk Watch see:
http://www.hawkwatch.org/home/