Pennsylvania's Birds of Prey

Patton Veterinary Hospital Discusses Raptors at Next Kids’ Club Meeting

                We have all identified the shrill cry of our nation’s bird, the Bald Eagle, seen the many vultures circling area parks and forests riding the tail winds and enjoyed the hoot of an owl at night.  But what do these birds have in common?  They are all known as birds of prey or raptors.  What is a raptor anyway?  Raptors are a group of birds who have common physical characteristics including a hooked beak, sharp talons, and keen eyesight and they are all carnivores or meat eaters.  Classifications have changed somewhat over the years putting some birds into different groups, but they are all still commonly thought of as raptors. Incidentally, the word raptor comes from the Latin term rapere which means to seize or to plunder.  I think that aptly describes the hunting style of most birds of prey! 

                One of the most common raptors in York County is the beautiful Red-Tailed Hawk.  Red-tails can have wingspans of up to five feet.  They hunt in open fields eating small mammals like mice and rabbits, amphibians and reptiles.  Red-tails in York County are frequently seen along roads and interstates perched in high trees or telephone poles.  They may swoop into oncoming traffic in pursuit of prey and vehicular accidents are the top reason hawks end up in wildlife rehabilitation. 

                Besides hawks, Pennsylvania is also the permanent home of five species of owl—Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, Barred Owls, Screech Owls and Long-Eared Owls all call the Keystone state their home.  A few other species are occasionally seen seasonally.  The “horns” or “ears” of some species of owl are actually tufts of feathers, but owls do have superior hearing and vision and they are silent in flight making them excellent hunters.  You might remember dissecting owl pellets in biology class when you were in junior high or high school.  Owls typically swallow their prey whole then regurgitate pellets of undigested parts like bones and hair.

                Our state also is home to two species of vulture—the common turkey vulture, and the less common black vulture.  Vultures are masters of the thermal updraft, gliding high above the ground searching for carrion.  While vultures are known to kill and eat small birds, they are primarily scavengers and not hunters like most birds of prey.  They eat road-kill, dead fish, and other mammals and reptiles that have died or been killed by predators.  Vultures lack a syrinx or voice box and make no noise other than grunting or hissing sounds.  Of course, along our riverbanks we are also lucky enough to have Bald Eagles and Osprey nesting in PA. 

                Want to know more about raptors?  Join Mitzi Eaton and the PVH staff this Sunday, June 7^th at 2 PM for our Kids’ Club presentation on birds of prey.  Mitzi is a long time member of our PVH staff and has been an upaid, licensed raptor rehabilitator for more than twenty-five years.  Mitzi provides entertaining and educational information about these fascinating birds.  Don’t miss it! 

This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding areas. 

Raptor facts taken from websites hosted by the Pennsylvania Game Commission