Several days ago I posted a photo of a Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) perched in a grassland in Mendocino County. This one was photographed "kiting" into the strong northwest winds near Dillon Beach today (13 February 2021).
Beautiful! After two sightings in a week, I decided I needed to know more... I looked up Ferruginous in Webster's ... should have figured out that the name was derived from "iron". Webster also referenced a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl indiginous to the Sonoran Dessert. His markings in this and the other pictures are so striking! What's their approximate range? Is it possible that this is the same bird sighted in both Mendocino County and at Dillon Beach?
Ferruginous Hawks are uncommon winter residents in this area, occurring primarily from November-February. They tend to prefer open grasslands, and I hear they are often looking for jackrabbits or ground squirrels as prey. Although they are uncommon, they're not necessarily rare, so re: your question about whether the Mendocino County and Dillon Beach birds could be the same -- I suppose it's a possibility, but I wouldn't say that it's likely. Maps of their overwintering range show them distributed throughout much of California, with fewer sightings in the in the northwest region of the state.
Beautiful! After two sightings in a week, I decided I needed to know more...
ReplyDeleteI looked up Ferruginous in Webster's ... should have figured out that the name was derived from "iron". Webster also referenced a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl indiginous to the Sonoran Dessert.
His markings in this and the other pictures are so striking! What's their approximate range? Is it possible that this is the same bird sighted in both Mendocino County and at Dillon Beach?
Hi!
ReplyDeleteFerruginous Hawks are uncommon winter residents in this area, occurring primarily from November-February. They tend to prefer open grasslands, and I hear they are often looking for jackrabbits or ground squirrels as prey. Although they are uncommon, they're not necessarily rare, so re: your question about whether the Mendocino County and Dillon Beach birds could be the same -- I suppose it's a possibility, but I wouldn't say that it's likely. Maps of their overwintering range show them distributed throughout much of California, with fewer sightings in the in the northwest region of the state.
Jackie