Our visiting raptor species include eagles, hawks, falcons, osprey, kites, owls and a number of others. Raptors are distinguished by their sharp claws or talons and cutting beaks, keen eyesight and superb flying abilities.
As our seasons change from warm to cold and back again, they set in motion a gigantic, nearly invisible event across the landscape: Vast numbers of wild creatures set out on southward journeys to avoid the worst of winter weather, before turning north again in spring.
Among them are roughly 300 species of feathered travelers who fly through Sonoma County, from pelicans to hummingbirds and tiny wrens to great herons. But it is the raptors – the types of bird who hunt from the sky – who are most likely to capture our attention in wintertime skies.
Sonoma County sits beneath a great “aerial flyway” which offers these travelers relatively safe passage down the Pacific coast, as well as ample food and water for the journey.
Some raptors live locally, and others drop by just to spend the winter. Some pass through on epic journeys: Scientists once fitted several young red-tailed hawks with beacons in Washington and tracked them flying through Northern California and all the way to Argentina.
It’s only partially understood how and why raptors migrate. We know most migrating animals follow food sources, which become scarce or hard to find in winter, so moving is a survival strategy. No matter the reason, whether raptors live here or are just passing through, wintertime is one of the best times to spot raptors in Sonoma County’s parks.
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