Birds of Prey
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The
red tail hawk, Buteo platypterus, has a light colored breast, a dark red
tail, and a wingspan of up to 48 inches. It feeds on small rodents and is common
year-round resident.
The
Coopers hawk, Accipiter coperri, is gray with a rust colored breast and a
wingspan of 28 inches. It lives in forests and feeds on other birds.
The sparrow hawk or kestrel, Falco sparverius, is a member of the falcon
family and has a wingspan of 20 inches. It is a year-round resident and feeds on
insects, rodents and small birds.
The Peregrine Falcon, Flaco peregrinus, has a wing span of up to 40
inches and and a black streaked gray chest. It feeds on ducks and birds and is
classified as endangered in New Jersey
The bald eagle, Haliacetus leucocephalus, has a white head and tail and a
wing span of up to 90 inches. It feeds of the many kinds of fish found in the
Great Egg Harbor River and bay, are year-round residents, and are classified as
endangered in New Jersey.
The barred owl, Strix varia, is grayish-brown streaked and has a wing
span of 44 inches. It lives in swamps, feeds on rodents, small birds, and
frogs, and is classified as a threatened species in New Jersey.
The eastern screech owl, Ottus asio, is brownish-gray and has a wing span
of 10 inches. It feeds on insects and rodents and is a year-round resident.
The great horned owl, Bubo virginianus, is white and gray streaked and
has a wing span of 25 inches. It feeds on birds and rodents and is a year-round
resident.