Accipiters in Iowa

Today we tried to sort out the genus Accipiter. Rummaging through the photos archive revealed no photos of this genus :( Time to hunt!

In Iowa there are Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and Northen Goshawk.

Sharp-shinned Hawk is found here in winter or year-round, according to different sources. A small hawk that sounds as a "typical" hawk should: a high-pitched kik-kik-kik.

Cooper's Hawk is almost exactly the same in coloring, but larger. Its call is much lower and more resounding.

Northern Goshawk is rare in Iowa (and I've never seen it), mostly seen in winter. Big, very distinct in coloring, both adults and juveniles. The voice is similar to all other hawks on the planet, but a little raspy or even creaky. Said to be more silent than other hawks.

Bird Spring 2015

Oh my! It's been a year since I've been in my own blog. And it's been almost two years since we've moved in Ames, Iowa. It's my second spring here and I finally decided to learn local birds.

For this I'll be using The Sibley Guide to Birds, which is a terrible bird guide, but the best I could find here. I miss the Collins guides, Americans are not really concerned with nature in any way, and it shows in Americans guides.
\
My other resource is www.allaboutbirds.org.

Matthew and I discussed in what order we will proceed--randomly, after sightings, from the beginning of the book, from the end, or alphabetically--and decided to go with the alphabet. Just another way to learn letters!