Interactive Raptor Poster

1. California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus)

Habitat and range: Mountainous areas with cliffs or hollow trees for nesting. Extirpated in the wild in 1980s; reintroduced in central and southern California, northern Arizona, Baja California, and most recently Yurok tribal land in northern California.

Diet: Carrion.

Status: On US and California endangered species lists.

Threats: Lead poisoning from ammunition in land mammal carcasses, contaminants including DDT in marine mammal carcasses, trash ingestion, wildfire, shooting, potential rodenticide exposure.

10. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Habitat and range: Mountains, hilly open country, and some forested areas from North America (mostly in West) across Eurasia; other populations in northern and eastern Africa.

Diet: Mainly rabbits and ground squirrels, sometimes grouse and pheasants; occasionally larger mammals and birds; carrion.

Status: Population stable. 

Threats: Rodenticide poisoning, lead poisoning, wind turbine and powerline collisions, shooting.

23. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Habitat and range: Lakes, rivers, and seacoasts worldwide except Antarctica. Most northern 0spreys migrate south for winter.

Diet: Almost entirely fish, caught with grip-soled feet.

Status: Historically impacted by DDT and listed as endangered by several US states, but made dramatic comeback. 

Threats: Other contaminants still a concern. Some small populations vulnerable. Migrants often shot at fish farms.

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Habitat and range: Forests and open country from Alaska to Panama.

Diet: Rodents and other mammals, including bats; medium-sized birds; snakes.

Status: Population stable.

Threats: Rodenticide poisoning, wind turbine strikes, shooting.

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Habitat and range: Wildlands (except deserts and rainforests) and many urban areas worldwide except Antarctica.

Diet: Mainly birds; bats in some areas. Females take larger prey than males.

Status: Recovered from near extirpation in North America due to DDT. Removed from US endangered species list 1999.

Threats: Collisions, insecticide poisoning.

White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)

Habitat and range: grasslands and savannahs from Oregon, California and US Gulf Coast to Argentina.

Diet: Rodents and other small mammals.

Status: North American populations rebounded from 20th-century low point.

Threats: Loss of nest trees and foraging areas. Rodenticide exposure documented for a closely related Asian species, the Black-winged Kite.

Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)

Habitat and range: Dense coniferous forests from southern Alaska to southern Mexico.

Diet: Mice, other small rodents, and shrews: infrequently small birds, large insects, frogs.

Status: Some populations declining. 

Threats: Habitat loss due to logging and, in southern Appalachians, climate change.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

Habitat and range: Forests, mostly conifer, from Alaska to Central America. Also South America north and south of
Amazon region.

Diet: Almost entirely small birds; rarely small mammals
and lizards.

Status: Eastern population recovered from impacts of DDT and shooting, then apparently declined for unclear reasons. 

Threats: Collisions, insecticide poisoning, potentially rodenticide exposure.

Merlin (Falco columbarius)

Habitat and range: Boreal forests and prairies across Northern Hemisphere; winters south to South America, North Africa, and southern China.

Diet: Small and medium-sized birds, up to size of snipe; dragonflies and grasshoppers during migration.

Status: Most populations stable. Historically impacted by DDT. 

Threats: Loss of nesting habitat.

The Merlin pictured is the light-colored “Prairie” subspecies, Falco columbarius richardsonii.

Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma)

Habitat and range: Coniferous and mixed forests of western North America, from southeastern Alaska to northern Mexico.

Diet: Birds (up to size of quail, larger than the owl itself), small mammals, reptiles, frogs, insects.

Status: Some populations declining. 

Threats: Habitat loss from logging, predation by Barred Owls.

Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa)

Habitat and range: Boreal forests across Northern Hemisphere, south into Sierra Nevada and northern Rocky Mountains. Moves south in some winters.

Diet: Almost entirely voles; gophers in some areas; rarely birds.

Status: Declining in some northern states. Sierra Nevada subspecies state-listed as endangered. 

Threats: Habitat loss, West Nile disease, climate change reducing prey base.

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Habitat and range: Semi-open woodlands and some deserts from Alaska to Argentina and Chile; not in Amazon basin and other rainforests.

Diet: Primarily mammals (including skunks), medium-sized to large birds (including other owls), sometimes reptiles, frogs, large insects. Predominantly rats in some urban areas.

Status: Recent declines in northeastern US may be related to West Nile disease.

Threats: Rodenticide poisoning.

Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

Habitat and range: Nests in forests from southern Canada to Mexico. Northern birds winter south to Colombia. Has adapted to some urban areas.

Diet: Mostly small to medium-sized birds; also rats and other rodents (especially for juveniles?). Females take larger prey than males.

Status: Historically impacted by shooting and DDT, especially in eastern US, but populations have recovered. 

Threats: Rodenticide poisoning, lead poisoning, other contaminants especially in urban settings. 

Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)

Habitat and range: Forests and other wooded areas of North America (south to northern Mexico), Eurasia, and northern Africa.

Diet: Mostly voles and other small mammals; rarely small and medium-sized birds.

Status: Declining in northeastern US and California. A California Species of Special Concern. 

Threats: Habitat loss, nest predation. Susceptible to West Nile disease.

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

Habitat and range: Northern population breeds in grasslands and tundra across Northern Hemisphere and migrates south; permanent resident in South America and many islands (West Indies, Hawaii, Galapagos).

Diet: Voles and other small open-country mammals; in Hawaii, birds and introduced rodents.

Status: Declining in northeastern US, California, and elsewhere. A California Species of Special Concern.

Threats: Loss and fragmentation of grassland habitat, nest predation.

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Habitat and range: Riparian forests and moist woods of eastern US; an isolated population in California. Increasing in suburbs.

Diet: Small mammals, frogs, snakes; occasionally birds, crayfish, and insects.

Status: Population stable. 

Threats: Loss and fragmentation of forest habitat, insecticide poisoning, ingestion of microplastics.

Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

Habitat and range: worldwide except for Antarctica, mostly in open country; some populations in forests. In North America, from southern British Columbia and Great Lakes south. Often uses barns and other human-made structures.

Diet: Rats, voles, gophers, and other small rodents; rarely bats, birds, insects.

Status and Threats: Declining in northern part of North American range; listed in Canada and 23 US states. Also declining in Europe. 

Threats: Rodenticide and insecticide poisoning, motor vehicle collisions, loss of foraging habitat (due to changes in farming practices) and nesting sites, severe winter weather.

Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)

Habitat and range: North American plains from southern Canada to northern Mexico. Most migrate to Argentina; some winter as far north as California.

Diet: Mostly rabbits and rodents, occasionally small birds; more insects in non-breeding season.

Status: Has declined in Canada, California, and elsewhere. 

Threats: Insecticide poisoning in Argentina, loss of breeding and wintering habitat due to changes in farming practices.

Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina)

Habitat and range: Mature conifer and mixed forests from southern British Columbia to central California; other subspecies in Sierra Nevada, southern Rocky Mountains, and Sierra Madre.

Diet: Small arboreal rodents like flying squirrels and tree voles, sometimes small birds.

Status: Federally listed as Threatened. Populations declining rapidly.

Threats: Loss of old-growth habitat, competition from and hybridization with Barred Owls, rodenticide poisoning (especially from illegal cannabis grows).

Western Screech-Owl (Megascops kennicottii)

Habitat and range: Woodlands, semi-desert, and suburban areas from southeastern Alaska to central Mexico.

Diet: Small mammals (including bats), birds, frogs, tadpoles, small fish, crayfish, earthworms.

Status: Declining in Canada. 

Threats: Habitat loss, predation by Barred Owls, West Nile disease. 

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

Habitat and range: Open areas with short vegetation and
tree cavities for nesting, including parks and some cities. Breeding range from Alaska to Argentina and Chile, except for Amazon region.

Diet: Voles and other small mammals, large insects, small birds, lizards.

Status: Some North American populations declining. 

Threats: Loss of habitat, including nest sites; rodenticide exposure.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Habitat and range: Nests in forested areas, usually near water, from Alaska to northwestern Mexico and Florida; wider range
in winter.

Diet: Fish (often pirated from Ospreys), waterfowl, some mammals, carrion.

Status: Population stable. Recovered from impact of DDT. Removed from US Endangered Species status 2007.

Threats: Lead poisoning, rodenticide poisoning, collisions, shooting. 

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)

Habitat and range: Grasslands and marshes from Alaska to Baja California and Texas panhandle; winters south to Central America.

Diet: Voles and other small mammals, birds up to size of small ducks. More rodents in winter, more birds in coastal marshes.

Status: Declining in much of breeding range. A California Species of Special Concern.

Threats: Degradation of upland habitat through overgrazing and changing farming practices; loss of wetlands. 

Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)

Habitat and range: Grasslands and scrublands of western North America; winters south to Mexico.

Diet: Mainly rodents (ground squirrels, prairie dogs, gophers) and rabbits. 

Status: Declining in Canada and elsewhere. 

Threats: Habitat loss, rodenticide poisoning, shooting, wind turbine strikes, electrocution.

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Habitat and range: Forested and open country, southern Canada to Argentina and Chile. Some northern populations migratory.

Diet: Carrion, occasionally insects, rotting vegetation (pumpkins, coconuts).

Status: Populations stable. 

Threats: Rodenticide, lead, and insecticide poisoning, motor vehicle collisions, shooting.

Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)

Habitat and range: Grasslands and deserts from western US to Argentina and Chile; isolated populations in Florida and West Indies. Northern populations migratory.

Diet: Insects and other arthropods, small mammals, occasionally small birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Status: Declining in Canada, Great Plains, California, Florida, and elsewhere. Listed as endangered in Canada and 15 US states. A California Species of Special Concern.

Threats: Habitat loss due to urbanization, changing farming practices, and extermination of burrowing rodents; also rodenticide and insecticide poisoning, wind turbine strikes, West Nile disease. 

Gopher

Food for many raptors.