Bird Watch: Return of Red-shouldered Hawk

At this time of year, when winter is beginning to lose its grip, we search eagerly for any sign of spring. Even a few late season snowstorms fail to dampen our enthusiasm for spring, and for seeing newly arrived birds. A few weeks ago, I was returning home from my afternoon walk when I heard a familiar sound coming from the woods between the road and the lake. It took a moment for my brain to kick into gear and recognize the Kee-ah! Kee-ah! call of the Red-shouldered Hawk, a call I had not heard in our neighborhood for more than a few years. Unfortunately, it must have been circling over the trees out of my line of sight, because it called only a few times before moving on to where I could no longer hear it.

These Hawks may be found around mature woodlands with low, wet, open riparian habitat. Their preferred prey includes frogs, snakes, lizards, insects, toads, and small mammals. During the years when we often heard the call of the Red-shouldered in our neighborhood, we believed it was probably nesting in nearby woods where there was a stream and wetland area. Over time that local forest was thinned out, and many spring seasons came and went when we did not hear the Hawk’s unmistakable call.