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Discussion of other Raptor species; their anatomy, biology, ecology, etc.
Topic Started: Sep 16 2007, 11:04 AM (18,100 Views)
Raptorman
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Patti
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Ostrich, my Sibley doesn't seem to have anything that quite fits the visitor--that I can determine, so your guess is interesting. I couldn't see any rufous type coloring on our visitor, so it coulnd't be a female, I think it is, American kestrel. One source said kestrels are the size of a robin and another said a jay. That bird looks larger than both to me. I'm also wondering if that dark spot on the face was a distorted eye. Don't merlins have large dark eyes? One of those smaller raptors has large eyes. Size is off for a merlin. Bill?
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Patti
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I was reading somewhere on the Channel Islands National Park website last night that there are nine raptor species on Santa Cruz Island...and at that time, they included the Golden eagle, possibly. At that time there were 10 nesting pair of Peregrines. Bill may have posted this info before here. I think it was Bea (?) who mentioned the Eurasian kestrel in California--and don't know if this link was posted at that time:

http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/...baybirds/149809

Subject: [NBB] Eurasian Kestrel in Marin Headlands
From: (email address filtered)
Date: Wed, Oct 24, 2007, 1:26 PM

On Oct 23rd, Tuesday afternoon, Golden Gate Raptor Observatory
volunteer banders trapped, banded, and released a juvenile Eurasian
Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) in the late afternoon in the Marin
Headlands. This may be the first documented appearance of this
species in California, although a Eurasian Kes was banded in the
Skagit Flats, Wash., in autumn 2003.

Photos of the bird are viewable on the website of GGRO volunteer
Michael Armer, who trapped and banded the bird:

http://aworldofbirds.com/thumbnails.php?album=103

Although none of us knows if the bird is still in the area, we at
the GGRO request that kestrel-watchers stay on paved roads and atop
Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands, to minimize potential disturbance
to our banding and monirtoring operations. Hawk Hill affords the
best view of the Headlands skies.

This Eurasian Kestrel looks nearly like a female American Kes,
though is smudgy in the face markings, and shows only one moustache
mark. The size is about halfway between an Am Kes and a White-
tailed Kite. Weighing in at about 208 grams, this bird was twice
the weight of an average male American Kestrel.

Good birds --

Allen Fish
GGRO Director
415-331-0730
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Raptorman
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ostrich2
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With that long and seemingly banded tail it couldn't be one of our accipiter friends could it?
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Raptorman
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ostrich2
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Raptorman,Jan 22 2008
10:34 PM
Now what will likely happen? The owls have succeeded in starting nesting and can despite the current harassment carry on. The Peregrines have lost the battle and likely the war. If a secondary nest box is placed on the company's site they may utilize it if the space from the G.H.O. nest box is sufficient. In the future if a new site is not made available this year the company will need to resort to a previously used tactic. Seal off the nest box in the off breeding season. This is controversial and may be illegal. However, many government agencies would turn a blind eye to the practice in favor of the less common Peregrine over the more than abundant G.H.O. If a new nest box is provided for the Peregrines and used the company would still be wise to seal that box in the off season and leave the now G.H.O. box open for the earlier nesting owl species. Bill :D

Bill, I was a bit confused by what you meant when you said "If a secondary nest box is placed on the company's site they may utilize it if the space from the G.H.O. nest box is sufficient". I didn't follow the "if the space from the G.H.O nest box is sufficient" part - I assume if they put in another nest box for the peregrines they would it in some other area sufficiently far that there would no longer be a conflict?

I was also a bit confused as to why there it would be controversial to close off the nest box if it was done outside of the breeding season. If they did it while the owls were using the box I could see that being a difficult issue. But if they sealed it off then how would that prevent the owls from using it again when the nest breeding season rolls around?

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Raptorman
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ostrich2
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Raptorman,Jan 25 2008
11:13 PM
Ostrich: It is technically illegal for ANYONE without specific government authorization to tamper with a raptor nest. Even in the non-breeding season. So sealing off a nest to prevent a raptor from preceding a preferred raptor is illegal and brings up ethical issues.

I didn't read through all the reports on the site, but given the extent of their activities and the fact they are also doing things like banding the chicks I tended to assume they would be working with whatever appropriate government agency with respect to the nest boxes. The ethical issue I guess comes down to whether it's appropriate to favor one species over another under specific circumstances - I don't see why not if the need to support the one species is strong enough and there was valid scientific evidence to support such a decision.

I guess the legality issues are also interesting - the one thing being that the nest box isn't a natural nest site but put in place already outside of the "natural" situation. That might not change the legal aspects any, but I wonder if you put up a nest box for any reason and a raptor species for example happens to nest in it whether you'd then be forced by law to keep it in place.
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Raptorman
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Raptorman
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Patti
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Bill, just saw the new I.D.!

This bird was on the PH nest this afternoon. I'm so LOUSY on judging size..it's my downfall. Looks too large for an American kestrel to me, but is it too small for a Red-tail hawk? Eurasian kestrel?

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Raptorman
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Patti
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:lol: Got my gender mixed up again!!! Yep, Bill, when I went back to the video and took the captures of the takeoff, I can see the wingspan is not a RT, or close to it! :wacko:

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Raptorman
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