What's that bird doing on the Hummer?
That is no ordinary bird! It's a Harris Hawk - one of the birds of prey on our Falconry Educational Tour. The Harris's Hawk or Harris Hawk, Parabuteo unicinctus, formerly known as the Bay-winged Hawk or Dusky Hawk, is a medium-large bird of prey which breeds from the southwestern United States south to Chile and central Argentina. Birds are sometimes reported at large in Western Europe, especially Britian, but it is a popular species in falconry.
While most raptors are solitary, only coming together for breeding and migration, Harris's Hawks will hunt in cooperative groups of two to six. This is an adaptation to the desert climate in which they live. In one hunting technique, a small group flies ahead and scouts, then another group member flies ahead and scouts, and this continues until prey is bagged and shared. In another, all the hawks spread around the prey and one individual flushes it.
While most raptors are solitary, only coming together for breeding and migration, Harris's Hawks will hunt in cooperative groups of two to six. This is an adaptation to the desert climate in which they live. In one hunting technique, a small group flies ahead and scouts, then another group member flies ahead and scouts, and this continues until prey is bagged and shared. In another, all the hawks spread around the prey and one individual flushes it.
Posted by Mark Farley at 1/22/2010 2:36 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Joshua Tree National Park Palm Springs Tours Palm Springs Sightseeing Falconry San Andreas Fault Tours What to do in Palm Springs Desert Hummer Tours
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Joshua Tree National Park Palm Springs Tours Palm Springs Sightseeing Falconry San Andreas Fault Tours What to do in Palm Springs Desert Hummer Tours
Birds are also, part of the beauty
of the world!
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