[NatureNS] more on: do red-taied hawks hover?

References: <3484d1c80712271218g524dcfdbr79a5221244499e0a@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:47:15 -0400 (AST)
From: "Sherman Williams" <shermw@xcountry.tv>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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A few years ago Roy Bishop in Avonport shared this impressive observation
of a Red-tailed Hawk hovering.  Roy had observed a hovering hawk centred
in the eyepiece of his astronomical telescope (I believe it was an 8-inch
reflector). What impressed Roy was the hawk's abolity to remain locked in
an absolutely stationary position for several minutes while hovering above
a field, facing into a breeze coming off the Minas Basin. To remain locked
in the eypiece field of an astronomical telescope at a power great enough
to reveal eye and feather details, the bird's movement would have had to
be minimal.

I would have to check on the details about the specifics of the hawk and
the telescope but Roy, who often relates to nature through the eyes of a
physicist, was quite impressed.  I believe his observation was reported in
an issue of the BNS newsletter several years ago. When I get back to N.S.
from B.C. I will ask Roy about that event.

Sherman W.


> Angela and Richard et al., I can add a couple things to Richard's answer
> below.  First, hovering and kiting and various combinations for red-tailed
>  and rough-legged hawks are quite frequently emploved in eastern King's
> County, particularly in dykeland areas.  The buteos have learned how to
> use a moderate to stiff wind efficiently in their hunting techniques.  And
>  Richard mentioned the Eurasian kestrel but not the American kestrel,
> which also employs hovering over open fields and roadside ditches in
> hunting for large insects, small mammals, etc.
>
> Cheers from Jim in Wolfville
> ----------
> From: Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com>
> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:18:56 -0400
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] do red tail hawks hover?
>
>
> Hi,
>
>
> Most hawks can hover, but to different degrees while hunting. The
> champion is the Rough-legged, although other buteos, including Red-tails,
> can hover for a short time. So can Ospreys. If you ever go to Europe and
> see Eurasian Kestrels, they characteristically hover over motorways
> waiting for road-kill. There is an old name for them - "wind-hover".
> European Buzzards
> (the equivalent there of our Red-tail) also hover regularly.  I don't know
>  if any N.American falcons or accipiters hover, but it's not really their
>  flight style. There probably wouldn't be any point in their usual
> habitat. Many hawks including Red-tails will also "kite" - which means
> facing into a strong wind and just using their wings and posture to
> briefly stay in 1 place relative to the ground - a bit like people can
> spread their arms and lean into a strong wind. (That expression is
> mentioned in a couple of books I have, but not in any on-line dictionary I
> could find!).
>
> Richard
>
>
>
> On Dec 27, 2007 2:06 PM, Angela Joudrey <aljoudrey@eastlink.ca> wrote:
> Do all hawks have the ability to "hover"?
>
>
> I noticed one this am in an area where there are red tails hawks, but
> I was unable to id it.
>
>
> Just wondering,
>
>
> Angela-
> now living in a new "bird heaven" area of Windsor --
> Angela Slaunwhite
> aljoudrey@eastlink.ca
>
>
>
> --
> #################
> Dr.Richard Stern,
> 70 Exhibition St.
> Kentville, NS, Canada
> B4N 4K9
>
>
> Richard Stern,
> 317 Middle Dyke Rd.
> Port Williams, NS, Canada
> B0P 1T0
>
>
> rbstern@ns.sympatico.ca rbstern@xcountry.tv sternrichard@gmail.com
> ###################
>
>
>


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