Full Deck Flashcards
Accipiters are known as:
a. broad wings
b. long wings
c. short wings
d. all of the above
C.
(Short wings - Accipiters are known as short wings and ““true hawks.””)”
Which is true regarding male raptors?
a. first to return from migration
b. choose the nesting area
c. provides most of the food after the young have hatched
d. all of the above
D.
(All of the above - Male raptors typically return first from migration, choose the nesting area, and provide most of the food after the young have hatched.)
“When does a raptor tend to reach full size?
a. one year of age
b. when they are ready to leave the nest
c. at six months of age
d. at five years of age”
B.
(Raptors tend to reach full size when they leave the nest.)
Which species of raptor does not exhibit sexual dimorphism?
a. American Kestrel
b. Red-tailed Hawk
c. Peregrine Falcon
d. none of the above”
D.
(American Kestrels, Red-tailed Hawks, and Peregrine Falcons all exhibit sexual dimorphism.)”
“A relaxed hawk is likely to:
a. preen
b. raise and tuck one foot
c. rouse
d. all of the above”
D.
(all of the above - A relaxed hawk is likely to preen, raise and tuck one foot, and rouse.)”
“Which is not a portion of a raptor’s wing?
a. coverts
b. ulna
c. cere
d. secondaries”
C.
(The Cere is the section just above a bird’s beak, where a bird’s nostrils are. Coverts are sets of feathers that help smooth airflow over the wings and tail, the alula is the bird’s free moving first digit ‘thumb’ that typically has three to five feathers, and secondaries are the inner feathers close to the body that are connected to the ulna.)”
“Which of the following terms does not fit with the others?
a. talon
b. train
c. tarsus
d. hallux”
B.
(Train - A train is a bird’s tail, typically composed of 12 feathers. A talon is the nail at the end of each toe, the tarsus reaches from the foot to the first joint, and the rear digit is referred to as the hallux.)”
“Which factor is most important in determining which raptor and falconer should fly?
a. appropriateness of raptor housing
b. availability of prey suitable for the raptor
c. proximity to other falconers flying similar raptors
d. none of the above”
B.
(The availability of suitable prey is most important in determining which raptor to fly. Frequent successful hunts are best for the raptor and the trainer alike, so know what types of prey are abundant and available before selecting a species)”
“The terms ‘passage,’ ‘imprint,’ and ‘chamber’ describe:
a. the legal status of the falconer
b. the nature of the mews in which a raptor is kept
c. how the raptor was raised
d. none of the above”
C.
(how the raptor was raised - A passage bird is a wild bird trapped before 12 months of age - immature. An imprint is a bird raised by humans. A chamber is a captive-bred bird raised by it’s parents.)”
“Raptors include species of the order(s):
a. Strigiformes
b. Falconiformes
c. Accipitridae
d. both a and b”
D.
(‘Raptor’ includes all hawks and owls, included in orders Strigiformes and Falconiformes. Accipitridae is the largest family of hawks and eagles within the Falconiformes order.)”
“Desertion of the nest by adult raptors is most likely to occur:
a. just prior to egg laying
b. during late incubation
c. during hatching
d. just prior to fledging”
A.
(just prior to egg laying - Most raptors will stick with their clutch despite disturbances once the eggs are laid.)”
True or false:
If the first clutch of eggs is destroyed or removed soon after being laid, many hawks and falcons will lay a second clutch.”
TRUE.
(Double clutching is used by raptor breeders to maximize progeny of breeding pairs. Some wild raptors will shut down for the season if disturbed on eggs.)”
A falconer is most likely to encounter a brancher of a species of hawk or falcon in:
a. January
b. March
c. June
d. October”
C.
(June - A brancher is a young hawk that has left the nest but is in the immediate vicinity. In NY, they are most often encountered in June. The exception is GHO, which breed in Jan-Feb, so branchers would be seen in Feb or March)”
“There is an observed trend of young avian predators, shortly after leaving the care of an adult, that begin taking quarry considerably larger than is the norm for adults of the same species. This is probably because:
a. the youngsters are still growing and need more food than adults
b. the young birds are stronger and can out-compete their elders for larger, more nutritious prey
c. more skill is required to catch smaller prey
d. all of the above”
C.
(more skill is required to catch a smaller prey - Lighter birds can typical turn inside the turning radius of a larger bird, so younger birds need more skill and dexterity before taking game that is smaller than themselves.”
The bird most likely to breed naturally in captivity is:
a. a passage bird
b. an imprant eyass
c. a parent-raised eyass
d. all of the above”
C.
(a parent-raised eyass - A parent-raised eyass is most likely to breed naturally in captivity. An eyass is a bird taken from the nest as a downy chick or a bird of any age/species originally obtained as a chick.)”
Male and female hawks can be determined in most species by:
a. the faster speed of the females
b. the faster speed of the males
c. the larger size of the females
d. the larger size of the males”
C.
(the larger size of the females - Male raptors may be up to 30% smaller than a female of the same species.)”
“Falconiformes in immature plumage appear to be:
a. smaller than when they become adults
b. larger than when they become adults
c. the same size as when they become adults
d. larger or smaller than the adults, depending on how well they were fed as nestling and on how successful they were as hunters after leaving the nest”
B.
(larger than when they become adults - Immature birds may have the appearance of being larger than adults because juvenile flight feathers tend to be longer to compensate for less developed muscles and less ossified bones.)”
“In Buteo, Parabuteo, and Accipiter, molting of the primary wing feathers:
a. starts with the innermost primary (ornithologically number 1) and proceeds in sequence to outermost primary (orinthologically number 10)
b. starts with number 10 and proceeds inward to number 1
c. starts with the primary number 4 and proceeds in both directions
d. proceeds in an irregular fashion but is the same sequence on each wing”
A.
(starts with the innermost primary #1 and proceeds in sequence to outermost primary #10 - Ornithologically, these numbers are correct. Historically, most falconers counted opposite, with the outermost primary being 1 and the innermost being 10. Most modern literatures use ornithological counting. Falcons start with primary 4 and proceed in both directions (c).)”
Haggards are not taken for falconry because:
a. they may be too old and die soon
b. they are too difficult to train
c. they are nature’s breeding stock and should be allowed to function as such
d. they will only take the prey species they have specialized to catch in the wild”
C.
(they are nature’s breeding stock and should be allowed to function as such - Haggards are adult birds. More than 70% of birds of prey die before reaching breeding age. Those that do should be allowed to contribute to the population.)”
True or False:
Hawks and falcons hunt by sight and hearing; their sense of smell is not well developed”
TRUE
One is most likely to find the cere:
a. on the head of a raptor
b. on the feet of a raptor
c. on the wings of a raptor
d. around the breast area of a raptor”
A.
(on the head of a raptor - The cere is the portion above the beak where a bird’s nostrils are located.)”
The tarsus of a raptor is part of the bird’s:
a. wing
b. leg
c. tail
d. head”
B.
(leg - The tarsus is that part of the leg which extends from the foot upward to the first joint. It is the portion where jesses and bewits are attached.)”
A bird’s train is it’s:
a. head
b. wing
c. foot
d. tail”
D.
(a bird’s train is it’s tail, typically composed of 12 feathers.)”
Deck feathers are:
a. the central pair of tail feathers
b. the feather tuft on top of a falcon’s hood
c. the feathers used in imping a broken tail or wing feathers
d. the row of feathers which run down the wing above the primaries and secondaries”
A.
(the central pair of tail feathers - The two central tail feathers are called deck feathers.)”
A good indication of completed growth in eyases is when the bird is:
a. full summed
b. hard penned
c. both a and b
d. b but not a”
C.
(both a and b - Hard-penned and full summer are synonymous and mean that the blood has withdrawn from the newly grown large feathers of the wings and tail and that those feathers have hardened.)”
A bird that is very comfortable with its surroundings and has a full crop is likely to:
a. gorge
b. hack
c. rouse
d. rangle”
C.
(rouse - A comfortable bird will rouse, meaning all feathers are slowly erected, the bird shakes itself, and the feathers slowly settle back into place. Generally a sign of well-being and contentment in the bird.)”
Your bird is likely to ‘mantle:’
a. when in active pursuit of quarry
b. when standing over quarry
c. both a and b
d. neither a nor b”
B.
(when standing over quarry - Mantling can mean the spreading of wings and tail over food in a defensive behavior OR an indication of relaxation when the bird stretches one wing and one leg on the same side.)”
Permitting the hawk to eat all it can until it refuses to eat more.
Gorge
The state of complete liberty sometimes permitted to eyases during the first few weeks after they can fly.
Hack
Small stones given orally to a hawk.
Rangle
A bird is likely to preen:
a. following a bath
b. when it is content
c. both a and b
d. neither a nor b”
C.
(Preening describes a birds behavior in straightening and dressing its feathers and is a sign of a well-adjusted raptor.)”
Cast means:
a. the act of disgorging a pellet of fur, feathers, bones, or all three
b. two falcons flown together
c. to hold or wrap a hawk so as to prevent movement
d. all of the above”
D.
(all of the above)”
The medieval falconer was most likely to enseam his or her bird:
a. when it was hood shy
b. immediately after capturing the bird
c. when the bird was too fat
d. when the bird was sharp-set”
C.
(when the bird was too fat - Enseam means to prepare a hawk for flying by eliminating its reserves of fat, including giving it purges like rangle or small stones to rid it of excess fat and mucus. Today, it may refer to the practice of feeding washed meat.)”
A hawk or falcon is most likely to put over its crop:
a. when entering a stoop
b. while being entered on new quarry
c. just before eating
d. just after eating”
D.
(just after eating - To put over a crop is to force food from the crop into the stomach by movements of the neck and shoulders. A crop has been put away when all the food in the crop has been moved into the stomach.)”
A bird is most likely to feak:
a. just before making a kill
b. just after taking a bath
c. just after a meal
d. just before breaking in”
C.
(just after a meal - A bird is most likely to feak just after a meal. Feaking is when a raptor wipes its beak against the perch or glove after feeding.)”
True of false:
The term austringer refers to one who normally flies passage falcons rather than eyases.”
F.
(Austringer means one who hunts and keeps accipiters.)”
A passager or passage hawk is:
a. any raptor taken on migration
b. a raptor taken on its first migration
c. any intermewed raptor
d. none of the above”
B.
(a raptor taken on its first migration. - A passager is a raptor captured on its first southward migration - hence a bird in immaure plumage and of known age. First year birds captured in non-migratory situations are also called passagers.)”
True or False:
It is desirable that your bird crab after striking quarry.”
F.
(Crabbing is a clash or fight between raptors, either in the air or on the ground.)”
The word strike used by a falconer means:
a. the instant of contact between a hunting raptor and either quarry or lure
b. loosening the braces or removing the hood
c. both a and b
d. neither a nor b”
C.
(both a and b - Striking can mean the moment of impact, OR loosening the braces of a hood OR removing the hood from a raptor.)”
The phrase rake away is used to mean:
a. to abandon the flight and careen away
b. a falcon flying low to the ground
c. the cutting down of a swift flying quarry by a slashing strike-and-pass by the Goshawk
d. none of the above”
A.
(to abandon the flight and careen away - To rake away is to abandon a flight, either at quarry or the falconer.)”
True or false:
Intermewed describes a medieval practice now considered archaic by North American falconers.”
F.
(Intermewed means the bird has been kept a full year, including the summer period of inactivity in the mews during molting.)”
Drinking water is also known as:
a. yarak
b. bowsing
c. warbling
d. carrying”
B.
(bowsing - Drinking water is also known as bowsing.)”
A bird that is keen could also be said to be:
a. hungry
b. sharp-set
c. ready to kill
d. all of the above”
D.
(all of the above - A keen bird is hungry, sharp-set, and ready to kill.)”
A slip is best described at:
a. a chance at quarry
b. release of a short wing after quarry
c. the flight of a short wing after quarry
d. all of the above”
D.
(all of the above - A slip can refer to a chance at quarry, the release of a short wing after quarry, or the flight of a short wing after quarry.)”
The falcon in which sexual dimorphism is found in both plumage coloration and pattern is the:
a. Peregrine Falcon
b. American Kestrel
c. Gyrfalcon
d. none of the above”
B.
(American Kestrel - American Kestrels exhibit sexual dimorphism in both plumage coloration and pattern. Adult Merlin also exhibit sexual dimorphism in plumage, but the immature Merlin do not.)”
Which of these birds lacks the distinctive immature plumage during their first year?
a. Goshawk
b. Red-tailed Hawk
c. Merlin
d. American Kestrel”
D.
(American Kestrels differ from other falcons in that their first year plumage is very similar to their mature plumage. They also differ in the manner of first molt, in that the body plumage (not the large wing and tail feathers) are molted and replaced in the late summer. This means that the first body plumage is hardly full grown before it begins to molt.)”
True or False:
The American Kestrel is closely related to the Eurasian Sparrowhawk.”
FALSE.
(The American Kestrel is a small falcon formerly called a sparrowhawk, whereas the Eurasian Sparrowhawk is a small Accipiter/short-winged hawk.)”
A small hawk alights near by, and immediately pumps its tail up and down several times. This tail pumping is a good identification field mark of a:
a. Sharp-shinned Hawk
b. American Kestrel
c. Broad-winger Hawk”
B.
(American Kestrel - Tail pumping, head bobbing, and hovering are classic field identification markers of an American Kestrel.)”
A very small raptor hovering 20 feet above an open field is most likely a:
a. Sharp-shinned Hawk
b. American Kestrel
c. Merlin
d. Cooper’s Hawk”
B.
(American Kestrel - Tail pumping, head bobbing, and hovering are classic field identification markers of an American Kestrel.)”
Although in the summer this raptor employs a hunting style adapted to catching grasshoppers and mice, wintering individuals often show a more typical falcon style when capturing small birds.
a. Northern Harrier
b. American Kestrel
c. Broad-winged Hawk
d. Sharp-shinned Hawk”
B.
(American Kestrel hunt mainly insects and small mammals in the summer, but will hunt birds in the winter.)”
The species that is most sensitive to weight fluctuations is the:
a. Gyrfalcon
b. Red-tailed Hawk
c. Peregrine Falcon
d. American Kestrel”
D.
(American Kestrel - Due to its small size and fast metabolism, an American Kestrel’s weight should be monitored regularly, particularly in cold weather.)”
True or False:
It is a good idea to have an American Kestrel wedded to the lure prior to flying it free.”
TRUE.
(Having an American Kestrel wed to a lure is good for conditioning and recovery.)”
When caring for an American Kestrel, the falconer must be particularly attentive to:
a. weight management
b. other avian predators
c. injuries due to bating
d. all of the above”
D.
(all of the above - Due to the American Kestrel’s small size and delicate nature, special attention must be given to weight management, injury prevention, and nearby predators.)”
A trait of the American Kestrel in the wild that carries over and becomes a vice when it is trained in falconry is:
a. soaring
b. warbling
c. bowsing
d. carrying”
D.
(carrying - Kestrels have a tendency to carry, which serves them well in the wild but makes for poor falconry. The tendency to carry can be overcome with consistent training.)”
Traditional falconry equipment items not routinely used with American Kestrels include:
a. bells
b. hood
c. traditional jesses
d. all of the above”
D.
(all of the above - Flying birds with traditional jesses is illegal. Kestrels typically become so tame that there is no need for a hood, and they are difficult to fit. Bells would have to be so light that they would be of limited use.)”
True or False:
In the wild, a Red-tailed Hawk will take neither game birds nor passerines.”
FALSE.
(When normal food supplies are scarce, Red-tailed Hawks will hunt large waterfowl and upland game birds. They may also take corvids, gulls, owls, and other hawks. Western Red-tails live on rattlesnakes and other reptiles regularly, as they do on rodents.)”
The sex of Red-tailed Hawks can be predicted in most cases by:
a. weight and size
b. eye color
c. coloration of plumage
d. none of the above”
A.
(weight and size - Falconers most often use weight as the criterion for Red-tailed Hawks, with males typically being 30% smaller than the females.)”
A male raptor, specifically a male Peregrine Falcon
Tiercel
True or False:
There is no sexual dimorphism in the Red-tailed Hawk.”
FALSE.
(Females are generally larger and heavier than males, and typically have larger and more powerful feet, broader and larger heads, wider wings, and a blockier overall build. Males are more spirited and temperamental, but they are also quick and have more dexterity. Females are more likely to crash into heavy cover to pursue quarry.)”
True or False:
Red-tailed Hawks only nest in trees.”
FALSE.
(Western Red-tailed Hawks may nest on cliffs or on tall cacti. Some Red-tailed Hawks will nest on ledges of tall buildings.)”
In New York, Red-tailed Hawks will lay their eggs in:
a. February/March
b. March/April
c. April/May
d. May/June”
B.
(March/April - Red-tailed Hawks lay their eggs in March or early April. Incubation averages 30 days and is shared by both sexes. Egg production in most raptors varies with the climate.)”
When their nest tree is climbed by a human, Red-tailed Hawks usually:
a. attack the intruder
b. disappear and permanently desert the nest
c. utter vocal cries from a distance
d. sit tightly on the nest”
C.
(utter vocal cries from a distance - Eastern Red-tailed Hawks almost never attack an intruder at the nest. Western Red-tailed Hawks are sometimes more aggressive.)”
In the wild, Red-tailed Hawks generally fledge how many young?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4”
B.
(2 - On average, Red-tailed Hawks successfully fledge two young.)”
The Red-tailed Eyas generally leaves the nest for the first time at:
a. two weeks
b. four weeks
c. six weeks
d. eight weeks”
C.
(six weeks - Young Red-tailed Hawks leave the nest at 45 days, but often return to the area in early summer.)”
During the fall migration, the best place to trap a passage Red-tailed Hawk in NY with a bow net or a mist net is:
a. atop a ridge running from northeast to southwest
b. atop a ridge running from east to west
c. in an agricultural valley with interlocking field and forest
c. on the beach”
A.
(atop a ridge running from northeast to southwest - Migrating hawks tend to ridge updrafts southward from ridge to ridge. The best days are fine cold days following foul weather with low to moderate winds. Red-tailed hawks will begin to migrate two weeks after the Equinox, and trapping remains good into November.)”
“True or false:
There are many varieties of Red-tailed Hawks in North America.”
“t
(Up to 14 subspecies of Red-tailed Hawks have been described.)”
“The species best suited for taking rabbits is the:
a. Merlin
b. Red-tailed Hawk
c. Peregrine Falcon
d. any of the above”
“b
(Red-tailed Hawks are oriented towards ground quarry, including large rodents and rabbits. Merlins and Peregrine Falcons are oriented towards avian prey.)”
To properly exercise a Red-tailed Hawk:
a. block it out in a place where it will bate continuously
b. stoop it to the lure repeatedly (25-50 times)
c. fly it multiple times on a creance
d. take it to the field and hunt with it”
D.
(take it to the field and hunt with it - Regular, long walks with the bird following from tree to tree or tree to fist are most effective.)”
Some eyas hawks may become so aggressive when they mature that they should only be taken as passagers. The species that displays this behavior to the greatest degree is the:
a. Goshawk
b. Harris’s Hawk
c. Red-tailed Hawk
d. Prairie Falcon”
C.
(Red-tailed Hawk - Eyas Red-tailed Hawks are known for their aggressive tendencies when they get older. Imprinted Red-tailed Hawks, if lost, may become a menace to humans or dogs.)”
Your imprint eyas Red-tailed Hawk has attacked a member of your hunting party. She binds to the person’s body with both feet and hangs. Some of her talons have drawn blood and there is a danger of serious injury. The best way to remove her is to:
a. pull the hind talon of each foot backward and slide the foot forward
b. pour water on the hawk
c. throw the garnished lure or live pigeon on the ground
d. grab the hawk by its head and squeeze”
D.
(grab the hawk by its head and squeeze - In an emergency situation where there is potential serious damage to a human being, a domestic animal, or another raptor, a hawk can be removed from a bind or crabbing situation by clutching its head. When their head is grasped firmly, raptors typically let go of whatever they are doing and grab that which is binding their head. Nevertheless, this method does not always work. The next best method is a., which is also applicable in non-emergency situations.)”
True or False:
If your Red-tailed Hawk misbehaves, it should be disciplined immediately so that it will associate the punishment with the aberrant behavior.”
FALSE.
(The non-social nature of raptors precludes any understanding by them of the use of pain or force or threat of force in their training.)”
True or False:
Aggression by a Red-tailed Hawk may not be manifested until its second or third year.”
TRUE.
(Increased aggression toward humans and pets may develop in eyas Red-tailed Hawks upon sexual maturity.)”
Which raptor has the reputation for being the easiest to man?
a. passage Goshawk
b. passage Prairie Falcon
c. passage Red-tailed Hawk
d. passage Sharp-shinned Hawk”
C.
(Passage Red-tailed Hawks have the reputations for being the easiest to man out of these birds.)”
The reason to select an American Kestrel over a Red-tailed Hawk as your first bird is:
a. they need to be fed less often
b. they are less likely to carry
c. they are easier to keep healthy
d. none of the above are true”
D.
(none of the above are true - American Kestrels need to be fed more often, are more prone to weight issues and injury, and are more likely to carry than a Red-tailed Hawk.)”
Which bird is most tolerant of the cold?:
a. Red-tailed Hawk
b. Harris’ Hawk
c. Aplomado falcon
d. none of the above”
A.
(Red-tailed Hawks are most tolerant of the cold.)”
The hunting style of a wild Red-tailed Hawk is best described as:
a. waiting-on
b. attack from above
c. perch and wait
d. none of the above”
C.
(perch and wait - Wild Red-tailed Hawks hunt in a perch and wait style.)”
Taking an eyas Red-tailed Hawk from the nest is preferred over trapping a passage Red-tail because:
a. they are less likely to become aggressive
b. they are easier to keep healthy
c. they are more natural hunters
d. none of the above”
D.
(none of the above)”
Red-tailed Hawks are commonly trained:
a. using operant conditioning techniques
b. to stoop the lure repeatedly
c. to hunt quail
d. none of the above”
A.
(Red-tailed Hawks are commonly training using operant conditioning techniques.)”
“The hunting style of a Kestrel most closely resembles:
a. Goshawk
b. Peregrine Falcon
c. Gyrfalcon
d. Merlin”
“d
(Merlin - Merlins and American Kestrels have very similar hunting styles.)”
Male Red-tailed Hawks are preferred over females because:
a. females are too clumsy to take squirrels
b. males are more agile and take jack rabbits easier
c. males are easier to man
d. none of the above”
D.
(none of the above)”
Your American Kestrel is most suited to hunt:
a. Quail
b. Starlings
c. English Sparrows
d. b and c above”
D.
(b and c above - American Kestrels are best suited to hunt Starlings and English Sparrows)”
A field aid that helps identify the American Kestrel is:
a. hovering
b. bobbing of the head
c. pumping the tail up and down upon landing
d. all of the above”
D.
(all of the above - American Kestrels can be identified by hovering, bobbing the head, or pumping the tail.)”
The raptor most likely to kill its prey with its powerful grip is:
a. Jack
b. Jerkin
c. Red-tailed Hawk
d. Kestrel”
C.
(Red-tailed Hawks are most likely to kill prey with their powerful grip. A jerkin is a male Gyrfalcon)”
Male Gyrfalcon
Jerkin
Male bird, specifically a kestrel or merlin
Jack
Defining characteristics of true falcons include:
a. possessing heavy crushing feet
b. having a toothed or notched beak
c. feeding only on birds
d. having the most maneuverability”
B.
(having a toothed or notched beak - All true falcons in the genus Falco have tomial teeth on the maxilla, and notches on the mandible, used for severing the spinal cord of their prey.)”
True or False:
Large falcons kill their prey primarily by the tremendous gripping power of their feet.”
FALSE.
(Falcons are known for subduing their prey quickly by severing its spinal cord with their beak.)”
The hawks that dispatch their vertebrate prey by severing their spinal cord are the:
a. Falcons
b. Buteos
c. Accipiters
d. Eagles”
A.
(Falcons - Falcons are known for subduing their prey quickly by severing its spinal cord with their beak.)”
The bird least likely to slice is the:
a. Peregrine Falcon
b. Red-tailed Hawk
c. Golden Eagle
d. Goshawk”
A.
(Peregrine Falcon - Slicing is the forcible discharge of excrement by Accipiters, Buteos, and eagles; all Falcons drop their mutes straight down after they have left the eyrie.)”
Stick nests are not built by:
a. Accipiters
b. true falcons
c. Buteos
d. Eagles”
B.
(True falcons do not build their own nests. They use ledges, hollow trees, old nests of other species, and manmade structures for nesting. Caracaras and forest falcons, however, do.)”
True or false:
In the case of most falcons, the male does most of the hunting for about the first two weeks after the young hatch.”
TRUE.
(The male will do most hunting while the young are very small. As the young grow and their demands for food increase, both birds will seek food.)”
The species that is most apt to occupy and defend the largest territory is the:
a. Gyrfalcon
b. Northern Harrier
c. Cooper’s Hawk
d. American Kestrel”
A.
(Gryfalcon - Generally, the larger the bird the more territory is needed.)”
The largest of the following birds is the:
a. Jerkin
b. Jack Merlin
c. Peregrine Falcon
d. Peregrine tiercel”
A.
(Jerkin - The jerkin, a male Gyrfalcon, is larger on average that the others. Female Peregrine Falcons may have some overlap is weight.)”
The Peregrine Falcon:
a. exists on all continents except Antarctica
b. lays more eggs per clutch than any other species of raptor
c. preys on all other species
d. has no species that competes with it except man”
A.
(exists on all continents except Antarctica - Some variant of Peregrine Falcon exists on all continents except Antarctica and all major islands except New Zealand and Iceland.)”
A malar stripe is likely to be found on a(n):
a. Peregrine Falcon
b. Ptarmigan
c. Mollen hood
d. Ornate Hawk Eagle”
A.
(Peregrine Falcon - In any plumage, the real mark of the Peregrine is the face bar, known as the mask or malar stripe. It is a broad dark mark extending downward from the crown across the eye.)”
True or False:
The skin and scale areas of adult Prairie Falcons differ from those of immature individuals.”
TRUE.
(The easiest and most reliable method of identifying a first year Prairie Falcon is by examining the skin and scale areas. The feet, cere, and eyelids of first year birds are blue - in adults, yellow.)”
