Ornithology

Overview
This event is geared towards the study of birds. For this event you will most likely need to know how to identify birds and also their calls.

What is a bird?
A bird is defined as any of a class of warm-blooded vertebrates distinguished by having the body more or less completely covered with feathers and forelimbs modified as wings.

Birds of Prey
Most Birds of Prey are called raptors.The word raptor comes from the Latin word "rapere" which means to take or sieze by force. A bird is defined as a raptor if: The Following families are the major raptors
 * 1) Hunts
 * 2) Has keen senses
 * 3) large Talons/Beak
 * 1) Accipitridae:Hawks,Ospreys,Eagles,Harriers,Kites
 * 2) Cathartidae:New World Vultures
 * 3) Falconidae:Falcons
 * 4) Strigidae:Owls
 * 5) Tyonidae:Barn Owls

Eagles
Bald Eagle Call
 * Large Birds with long broad wings
 * Large nest on cliffs/trees
 * Hunt for small mammals in open areas uses a flat wing soar that distinguises it from turkey vultures

Hawks
Red Tailed Hawk Call
 * medium birds of pray
 * normally hunts from a concealed perch
 * Agile long tail feathers allow for steering in tight places
 * prey on small mammals and songbirds

Ospreys

 * single raptor found worldwide
 * Eat mainly Fish
 * nest near water

New World Vultures

 * carrion eaters
 * common near dumps
 * no feathers on head

Falcons

 * small to medium with long pointed wings
 * powerful hunters
 * Swift flyers
 * Take over other birds nests

Loons
Common Loon Call

Herons
American Bittern Green Heron

Hawks/Eagles
Bald Eagle Call

Red Tailed Hawk Call

Falcons
American Kestrel

Rallidae
Clapper Rail

Virginia Rail

Charadriidae
Killdeer

Scolopacidae
Willet

Greater Yellowlegs

Laridae
Least Tern

Columbidae
Mourning Dove

Cuculidae
Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Caprimulgidae
Whip-poor-will

Apodidae
[White-throated Swift]

Links
great for calls

Bird ID info

2010 National Bird List