Hawks Aloft, Inc. – Page 2 – Conservation, Avian Research & Education

Working to preserve New Mexico’s wildlife and unique landscapes for many generations to come.

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Hawks Aloft, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization incorporated in 1994 and based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

We work to conserve indigenous wild birds and their habitats through avian research, conservation education, raptor rescue, and cooperation with other organizations.

We believe that this work helps to preserve New Mexico’s unique landscapes and wildlife populations for many generations to come.

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Explore Iceland In 2023:
The Land Of Fire And Ice

01 Apr 2022

JUNE 1 – JUNE 11, 2023 HAWKS ALOFT MEMBER TOUR In the land of fire and ice, massive ice-blue glaciers contrast sharply with bright green meadows, black lava fields, and geothermal lagoons to create dramatic, captivating landscapes. The country’s avifauna is equally impressive: located at the junction of two oceans, it hosts a unique mix…

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Catching some rays, perhaps. This youngster, ident

Catching some rays, perhaps. This youngster, identifiable as a juvenile by its dark-streaked underside, displays the classic Peregrine Falcon sunbathing posture: perched with spread wings and tail, back facing the sun, head turned to one side. If this photo were paired with one of an adult, you might notice the slightly longer retrices (tail feathers) on the younger bird. Thank you, Kristin C Brown Photography, for the photo.

Cliff-nesting, urban style. Back in 2015, a pair o

Cliff-nesting, urban style. Back in 2015, a pair of Peregrine Falcons arrived in downtown Rockford, Illinois, undaunted by the complete absence of natural cliffs. A venerable old Art Deco-style office building has proved over the years to be an ideal nest site, featuring an 8th-floor-level drainage channel covered in pea gravel—perfect material for a scrape nest. Here is a nestling from the 2022 brood, walking along the ledge just above the scrape. You can see that his flight feathers are starting to come in, along with his species' signature "sideburns." This individual was one of three successful hatches and fledges from a clutch of five eggs. Thank you, John C. Longhenry, for the photo.

With any territorial or mate-selection disputes no

With any territorial or mate-selection disputes now settled, it’s time to settle down and get started on the next generation of Peregrine Falcons. This breeding pair are in their element on a high cliff ledge and will, if possible, use this or a similar site as their nursery. Failing that, they may resort to a human-built structure such as a transmission tower or skyscraper—or perhaps an abandoned Common Raven, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, or cormorant nest. Only if that last option is selected will they raise their young in a “built” nest, preferring to scrape out a shallow depression (called, appropriately, a “scrape”) into the substrate of the nest site. Once the female has laid her eggs, the parent birds will share incubation duties to a greater or lesser degree that may vary geographically. Thank you, Doug Brown Photography, for the photo.

“Agonistic behavior” is an umbrella term cover

“Agonistic behavior” is an umbrella term covering interactions of this nature. Were these two Peregrine Falcons fighting over a prospective mate or territory, they might be turning cartwheels in the air with talons locked, and settling scores (often violently) on the ground. With any luck, this will turn out to have been a run-of-the-mill squabble over prey: the would-be thief will either succeed in carrying off the unfortunate prey bird or will concede defeat and go catch its own dinner. Thank you, Doug Brown Photography, for the photo.

Peregrine Falcons may supplement their mostly-avia

Peregrine Falcons may supplement their mostly-avian diet with the occasional fish or rodent, generally stolen from another raptor. When it comes to a different kind of mammalian prey, however, they’re in their element! Our photographer captured this image at the Armendaris Ranch Bat Caves near Truth or Consequences, where a “river of bats” emerges from the lava-tube caves each evening at dusk. This Peregrine appears to be closing in on its dinner, which it will carry (or chase) down to the nearest available landing site. Thank you, Tony Giancola, for the photo.

A bit more cleanup in store, perhaps, but clearly

A bit more cleanup in store, perhaps, but clearly a satisfying meal. Thank you, Doug Brown Photography, for the photo.

Peregrine Falcons are bird-eaters, preying on at l

Peregrine Falcons are bird-eaters, preying on at least 450 avian species—from hummingbirds to Sandhill Cranes—in North America alone. Among their favorites: shorebirds, ptarmigan, ducks, larks, waxwings, and starlings. A stooping (diving) Peregrine may stun its avian prey by striking it with its feet; it then catches and quickly kills the bird by severing its spinal cord with its tomial “tooth,” a notched protrusion on its upper mandible. This successful hunter has dug into its catch but is not quite finished—and doesn’t appear to be interested in sharing! Thank you, Doug Brown Photography, for the photo.

Potentially faster than the proverbial speeding bu

Potentially faster than the proverbial speeding bullet! This adult Peregrine Falcon appears to be on a mission in pursuit of avian prey, which it will typically intercept in flight. While the Peregrine’s level cruising speed of 40-55 mph won’t net it much of a catch, it can exceed 100 mph in pursuit of any but the swiftest prey—still on a level plane.

Imagine, now, that the bird in our photo has gained altitude over its targeted prey. Our falcon will now execute a “stoop” by folding its wings over its flanks and going into a vertical or near-vertical dive. With a boost from gravity, its now more-streamlined body can reach speeds of over 200 mph. The stoop also affords more turning force, helping the Peregrine to adjust to moving targets such as starlings, which tend to move erratically. Thank you, Larry Rimer, for the photo.

Our group also visited a practicing Maasai village

Our group also visited a practicing Maasai village where the chief had multiple wives and at least 22 children. The women were dressed in their finest brightly colored clothing and elaborate beaded collars and earrings.

Here's an adult Peregrine Falcon in flight. Notice

Here's an adult Peregrine Falcon in flight. Notice the extra-long primaries—the 10 or 11 “fingertip” feathers on each wing—that streamline the wings, which extend to the tip of the tail when the bird is perched. Thank you, Doug Brown Photography, for the photo.

One of the interesting species we observed, the Wh

One of the interesting species we observed, the White-bellied Go-Away bird was so named because of their call. Their vocabulary includes several different, mainly short nasal calls, often repeated in series: a nasal “gwah”, a shorter staccato “wak”, a drawn-out “nyaaah” and a slightly longer “gorrwAAay” (hence the onomatopoeic name “go-away-bird”).

Here's what the youngster in our profile photo wil

With only two toes on their feet and extremely mus

With only two toes on their feet and extremely muscular legs, ostriches are like the antelopes of the bird world, adapted for running and attaining speeds of more than 70 km per hour. Males, shown here, are predominantly blackish and provide most of the parental care, incubating eggs laid in a communal nest by the females in their harems.

Contrary to popular belief, ostriches don’t bury their heads in the sand to avoid predators. In fact, they don't bury their heads at all. The confusion stems from the ostrich’s nesting behavior, which involves digging shallow holes in the sand, rather than building nests. Because their eggs need to be rotated multiple times each day, ostriches are often observed with their heads down. Ostriches rely on a number of food sources on the ground, so their feeding activity may also be confused for burying their heads.

Thank you Gail Garber for this photo.

The face of Hawks Aloft! For our current profile p

Encountered at Serengeti and Ngorogoro National Pa

Encountered at Serengeti and Ngorogoro National Parks, Ostriches were mostly distant and not easily photographed. They are the fastest running birds in the world, able to run continuously at speeds of 30-37 mph and sprint up to 43 mph. With their long, strong legs ostriches can cover more than 10 feet in a single stride.

Thank you Chellye Porter for this photo of a female Ostrich, slightly smaller than a male, weighing in about 320 pounds.

We were awakened one night by the sound of munchin

We were awakened one night by the sound of munching outside our tent at Suenos de Africa, a herd of zebras calmly grazing within feet of us. Zebra's primary food source is grass (90% of their diet). They nibble the grass with the help of their sharp front teeth; then, they grind the food with their flat molars. A very good way for interrupted sleep!

There are three different subspecies of zebras in Africa: Grévy’s zebra, plains zebra, and mountain zebra.

Thank you Chellye Porter for this photo.

In conclusion, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays pack a lot

In conclusion, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays pack a lot of smarts into their tiny bodies. Their brain-to-body size ratio puts them on par with chimpanzees and cetaceans, some of the smartest animals on the planet. So, the next time you see one of these “blue jays,” stay on their good side, as they might be able to outsmart you!

Thank you, Larry Rimer, for the photo.

#woodhousescrubjay #woodhousescrubjayphotography #albuquerque #albuquerquenm #newmexico #hawksaloft

Zebras were just about the most interesting hoofed

Zebras were just about the most interesting hoofed animal encountered in our adventure. Each zebra's stripes are as unique as human fingerprints, and no two zebras have the same stripes. A zebra can track its family by the pattern type of its stripes. One of the reason zebras have stripes at all is for thermoregulation. Black stripes absorb heat from the sun and warm up zebras during the early morning, while the white stripes reflect more light and help them cool off as the day warms.

We know these aren't birds, but fascinating animals found only in Africa.
Thank you Chellye Porter for this photo!

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays are part of the Corvid fa

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays are part of the Corvid family and, like ravens, crows, and other corvid species, exhibit remarkable levels of intelligence. They hide small caches of food around their territory and can remember the location of every cache. They also observe where other scrub jays hide their stashes, which enables them to steal from their neighbors.

Thank you, Larry Rimer, for the photo.

#woodhousescrubjay #woodhousescrubjayphotography #albuquerque #albuquerquenm #newmexico #hawksaloft

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays are famously mischievous.

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays are famously mischievous. For example, they’ve been seen stealing from the similar-sized Clark’s Nutcracker to feed their mates and chicks. They also may be seen standing on the backs of Mule Deer, eating the ticks and parasites that make their home in the deer’s hair.

Thank you, Larry Rimer, for the photo.

#woodhousescrubjay #woodhousescrubjayphotography #albuquerque #albuquerquenm #newmexico #hawksaloft

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