Deadly Beauty Behavior

I got to the "Owl Bar" early. We joined our falconer and drove about 15 miles east of San Antonio, New Mexico. He had with him a peregrin falcon and a Harris hawk. The plan was to watch the peregrin hunt and then watch the Harris hawk. We had a moment of watching the peregrin chasw one of the homing pigeons. However, this morning the peregrin decided that the wide open sky beckoned him. Fortunately the falconer was able to relocate the peregrin after about an hour. We did get acquainted with the Harris hawk as well. Harris hawks are very gregarious animals. They live and hunt in family units. This hawk explored the top of many our vehicles. He enjoyed riding on the shoulder of several of the participants. He wears bells on his legs so that his handler will always know when he takes off.

I also learned some interesting things about hawk behavior. One of them, I think it is the peregrin imprints on its original nesting area. They learned this because when they were reintroducing them (after the DDT had been removed and the birds were recovering), they put food on platforms for the newly relocated birds. The birds began nesting on these platforms, and then increased to nestin on other flat objects such as porches. Another bird was raised in a play pen. When it was time to breed it, they set up a nice flat gravel area. It ignored it. Then one day the bed was unmade and the bird began mating behaviors. It had found its "nest".

I had a chance to talk to some local people about the rare aplomado falcon. Henry and I remember seeing this bird in southern New Mexico 15-20 years ago. Apparently the birds are no longer nesting where we saw them. I saw some empty nests on my way to Ruiodoso. I would love to get back to the area in the summer to see which birds are using those nests.

On the way back to the "Owl Bar," we stopped and got a great look at a prairie falcon that was perched on one of the power line platforms. As it flew off, we got a good look at the markings under the wings.

Even though the event did not go as planned, it was still worthwhile and fun.