PEREGRINE FALCON
Once listed as an endangered species in Canada, Peregrine Falcons have rebounded from the brink of extinction and have be delisted as a Species at Risk. The City of Windsor is home to a nesting pair of Peregrine Falcons, making their home on the Ambassador Bridge.
During the first week in October, you are likely to see Peregrine Falcons migrating through the area. Since this species is not bothered by open water, you’ll often see them crossing the lake at Point Pelee National Park and Holiday Beach Conservation Area.
This powerful bird is a spectacular size, especially when in pursuit of prey. You’ll often find siblings from the same nest migrating together and hunting in tandem.
Size & Shape
A medium-sized hawk with the classic accipiter shape: broad, rounded wings and a very long tail. In Cooper’s Hawks, the head often appears large, the shoulders broad, and the tail rounded.
Color Pattern
Adults are steely blue-gray above with warm reddish bars on the under parts and thick dark bands on the tail. Juveniles are brown above and crisply streaked with brown on the upper breast, giving them a somewhat hooded look compared with young Sharp-shinned Hawks’ more diffuse streaking.
Behaviour
Look for Cooper’s Hawks to fly with a flap-flap-glide pattern typical of accipiters. Even when crossing large open areas they rarely flap continuously. Another attack maneuver is to fly fast and low to the ground, then up and over an obstruction to surprise prey on the other side.
Habitat
Wooded habitats from deep forests to leafy subdivisions and backyards.
*Image and description were sourced from: allaboutbirds.org
