Raptors

Hundreds of birds of different species make Standley Lake a temporary home throughout the seasons, and on any given day, there’s a high chance of seeing or hearing at least one bird of prey. Raptors, birds of prey, are carnivorous birds whose diet consists of other vertebrates. There are a variety of raptors throughout the park, but they all share similar traits that set them apart:

- All raptors have curved, sharp beaks designed for tearing apart their prey effectively.

- Their feet are powerful and equipped with sharp talons for grasping or piercing to kill.

- Their eyesight contributes to their excellent hunting abilities, enabling them to focus on prey at great distances.

Many birds that consume insects and fish can be considered carnivorous; however, they do not share the above adaptations, so they are not considered a bird of prey.

On the nearby interpretive sign, there are 5 common raptors seen in this area:

Red-tailed Hawks are Standley Lake’s most common year-round residents, and they are easy to see perched on bare cottonwood branches or light posts nearby. They are the second largest hawk found in North America after the Ferruginous Hawk. Their piercing scream is often used in movies depicting a Bald Eagle since it is powerful and loud. They can be heard from long distances and seen circling high in the sky above you. The distinctive red tail is characteristic of adults only, so don’t be deceived when you see a juvenile with a light or barred tail soaring above you!

A Swainson’s Hawk is present on any given summer day with its piercing scream high in the air. They return in large numbers to the Front Range every year and can be found circling for small rodents all summer. Though frequently confused with Red Tail Hawks, the Swainson is noticeably smaller and lacks the rusty tail that adult Red Tails sport. Swainson’s have a brown bib and creamy white belly, easily spotted when perched. When in flight, the underwings are black, with white “armpits.” Once the season begins to change, these hawks start one of the longest migratory journeys of any bird of prey, and make their way to southern Argentina.

Cooper’s Hawks are the culprit for the piles of feathers found under trees, near the trail, and even in your backyard. A bird-eating hawk can navigate swiftly through dense branches to get to the songbird or chickadee. The Cooper’s Hawk pictured is a juvenile, adults look nearly identical to a Sharp-Shinned Hawk, but larger. A Cooper’s Hawk can be crow-sized, and a Sharp-Shinned is typically robin-sized.

The American Kestrel is North America’s smallest falcon! The smallest ones weigh just a few ounces (about 40 pennies). In this area though, they tend to be a bit larger due to the abundance of food. Their diet consists of insects, small birds, and rodents like voles, mice, and shrews. Don’t underestimate its size! They are powerful and can quickly carry a small rodent off the ground. They have the unique ability to hover in midair and drop rapidly to pounce on prey. The kestrel shown is a male. Males are much more colorful and vibrant than the female counterpart.

Like the Cooper’s Hawk, the Sharp-shinned Hawk focuses mainly on hunting smaller birds. This hawk can be confused with a falcon, like the kestrel, as its tail is long in proportion to its body. Unlike other hawks, they do not soar high in the air in search of their prey; they camouflage on low branches swooping in on a songbird with excellent precision. You can often find them on tree brnahces close to bird feeders.

The Osprey, also known as the fish hawk, can be seen soaring high above the water in search of its next meal. Though we have no known nesting sites within the park, they can still be spotted regularly as their primary food source is fish, which Standley Lake has plenty of. Bald eagles often chase an osprey with freshly caught prey in hopes of spooking it into dropping the fish. Ospreys are one of the world’s most widely distributed birds spanning four continents.