![]() They’ve been observed passing wooden sticks in the air with other Eagles and they’ve been seen to be playing with plastic bottles from time to time. They’ve even been known to steal fish from human fishermen! While they are indeed apex predators, Bald Eagles do have a playful side. Bald Eagles are great at catching fish but sometimes prefer to simply snatch them away from the claws of other fishing birds, such as Ospreys. Large and fierce, these powerful birds have a lifespan of approximately 20 years and may be found all over Florida near lakes, rivers, and coasts. The Bald Eagle is the national bird of the United States of America and if you’ve ever seen one in person you can definitely see why. Habitat: These birds like to be near water, so look for them around the coast, lakes, marshes, and rivers.ĭiet: Bald Eagles primarily eat fish, but they will also catch and eat smaller birds such as waterfowl and small mammals, primarily squirrels, rabbits, prairies dogs, and even the occasional kitten! They are opportunistic predators as well, which means they will bully other birds to steal their kills. Size: One of the largest birds in North America, these Eagles measure in at 27.9 – 37.8 inches in length and have wingspans approximately 80.3 inches wide. Juveniles will have mostly brown coloration with scattered patches of white, which dwindle as the bird matures. ![]() These birds have large, hooked yellow bills. The belly and breast of this bird are dark brown as well but facially, these birds are white, with the coloration coming down to their throats and the back of their heads rather like a mane. They’ve been known to take extra kills that they can’t eat right away and to store them in tree limbs, cavities, and even fence posts! Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus leucocephalusĬoloration and Markings: Bald Eagles have dark brown backs with long wings of the same color and short tails which are brown on top and white below. Kestrels are known to perch nearby so that they can look for and capture moths that are attracted to the bright lights. One spotting tip is if you are at a sporting event at night, look near the lights. They are attracted to nesting boxes, so you can put one out if you have noticed some local Kestrels and you might tempt a breeding pair into moving in. They have a lifespan of about 17 years in captivity, but only 5 in the wild. They tend to prefer open areas with fewer trees to maximize their hunting success.ĭiet: Insect-wise, these birds love grasshoppers, beetles, and moths, but they also take small mammals like mice or bats and birds of up to quail-sized! More about the American Kestrelįound all over Florida, the American Kestrel is the smallest species of Falcon in North America. Habitat: These birds hunt in a wide range of areas, such as alpine regions, grasslands, and deserts. Size: These birds measure in at 8.7 – 12.2 inches in length and have wingspans of 20.1 to 24 inches in width. ![]() These birds have small, curved orange and gray bills and female Kestrels will have rust colored wings, rather than slate. Above the eyes, a wide gray stripe is present, and you will see a rust-colored cap. The breast will be white with some rust coloration missed at the upper breast and facially, the chin and cheeks are white with a pair of vertical black slashes present, while the back of the head will be rust colored with a black stripe at the back-center. ![]() Kestrels have long, square-tipped tails and the belly of this bird is white. Seen in flight the arrangement of spots is more symmetrical and looks a bit like an optical illusion. Let’s take a closer look at the Florida Birds of Prey! American Kestrel – Falco sparveriusĬoloration and Markings: American Kestrels have rust-brown backs with black spots, which extended to the inner edge of their long, narrow wings, with the wing coloration changing to a black-spotted slate blue for the remaining majority of the wings. Today we’ll take a closer look at them so that you’ll know how to identify them, what they like to eat, where they spend their time, and we’ll throw in a few fun facts as well. The Sunshine State of Florida is home to 196 Avian species and for fans of birds of prey, you’ll be happy to know that Florida is the full or part-time home to 20 species of this variety. ![]()
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