Ferruginous Hawk Trail Camera 2020
Thank you for tuning in to watch the two ferruginous hawk trail cameras. It was another successful year. This year a new pair took over #nest1 and the pair from 2019 returned to #nest2. Between the two nests, nine healthy chicks successfully fledged in the first week of July. Please check back next year for a new season in April 2021.
July 31, 2020
It was another successful year for our hawks, and we hope to see them again next year. Thanks for following along!
#nest1
July 31, 2020
Despite a few rare visits, it looks like our hawks at this nest have finally moved on to bigger and better hawk-related things.
#nest2
July 24, 2020
No hawks have been seen at this nest for over a week! But we will keep an eye on it for now.
#nest1
July 24, 2020
Although the camera at this nest site is obviously functioning perfectly, one hawk appears to get homesick and is still visiting the nest every 1-2 days.
#nest2
July 17, 2020
No birds have been seen on this nest for 5+ days! While its sad the nesting season is coming to an end, we are happy that it appears the hawks have figured out what their wings are for!
#nest1
July 17, 2020
We still have one hawk visiting this nest site, but they only show up once every couple days!
#nest2
July 10, 2020
It looks like the young hawks are out testing their wings! They will spend around the first three weeks within 1km of the nest.
#nest1
July 10, 2020
This family must be moments away from their first flights - they barely all fit in the nest anymore!
#nest2
July 3, 2020
As you can see, the juveniles hawks are getting very accustomed to the edge of the nest. Fledgling is imminent!
#nest1
July 3, 2020
Unfortunately a little moisture got into the camera. But as you can see the juvenile hawks are doing their stretches before the big fledge!
#nest2
June 26, 2020
Pro tip - When around Ferruginous hawk nest poles, don't dress up like a ground squirrel.
#nest1
June 26, 2020
Sometimes siblings make the best pillows.
#nest2
June 19, 2020
Look how mature they've become - patiently waiting in line for the next bite from mom.
#nest1
June 19, 2020
Our tiny hawk chicks aren't so tiny anymore, they all barely fit in the nest now!
#nest2
June 12, 2020
The chicks are growing up so fast! The young hawks typically first leave the nest at 38–50 days. Males (smaller in size) leave as many as 10 days before the females.
#nest1
June 12, 2020
Mom why did you build the nest up so high?
#nest2
June 5, 2020
The first image of the entire hawk family together! (With bonus rodent gore).
#nest1
June 5, 2020
It's not easy being an indistinguishable ball of fluff that naps all day, you know?
#nest2
May 29, 2020
The tiny hawks will typically first leave the nest when they are around 38 – 50 days old.
#nest1
May 29, 2020
The chicks have finally arrived!
#nest2
May 22, 2020
3 chicks have finally hatched at one of the nest sites, and it looks like their first meal is already prepared - a few tasty rodents!
#nest1
May 22, 2020
Still waiting patiently for the chicks to arrive. Hatching should be imminent!
#nest2
May 15, 2020
Looks like somebody brought home takeout for the long weekend. Mice for dinner is the best dinner!
#nest1
May 15, 2020
Not just anyone can sit on eggs for weeks at a time you know. Chicks should be hatching very soon!
#nest2
May 8, 2020
5 eggs that should be hatching soon! Last year they hatched mid-May.
#nest1
May 8, 2020
Lots of sitting still going on! Did you know? Ferruginous hawks are known to sleep standing up, often balanced on one leg!
#nest2
May 1, 2020
Our hawk mom seen here counting her eggs to make sure they are all there.
#nest1
May 1, 2020
First image of the hawk couple together! Did you know? Females can be twice as big as the male!
#nest2
April 24, 2020
The first night vision photo! There also isn't much going on right now at the nest expect a lot of sitting and sleeping!
#nest1
April 24, 2020
We are roughly halfway through the incubation period!
With an average incubation of 32 days, we should be seeing some adorable hawk chicks in a little over 2 weeks.
#nest2
April 17, 2020
More eggs by the minute! It looks like we have a whopping 5 eggs at this particular nest site, which is actually above the average clutch size of 3-4!
#nest1
April 17, 2020
If you thought staying at home all the time was bad, at least your bed isn't covered in snow!
#nest2
April 9, 2020
We have 2 eggs confirmed at one of the nest sites! In about 32 days, we should have some tiny & hungry hawks to look at.
#nest1
April 9, 2020
Although we can't see if there are any eggs yet, she does seem very interested in something at the bottom of the nest!
#nest2
April 3, 2020
The nests look healthy and are still under construction!
#nest1
April 3, 2020
These hawks are staying smart, staying home, and doing some solid nest building!
#nest2
March 27, 2020
Both hawks seem to be working diligently on their nests. Did you know? In times past, ferruginous hawks would use bison bones, fur and dung in their nest building!
#nest1
March 27, 2020
Did you know? Both the male and female work on the nest, but seem to have different roles. The male usually retrieves materials while the female arranges them.
#nest2
March 20, 2020
The ferruginous hawks are back!
The good news is that the cameras are working great.
The bad news is... she is already onto us.
#nest1
March 20, 2020
Another return customer!
We are glad to see both hawks have returned for the summer.
#nest2
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
One of the biggest challenges for ferruginous hawks is the loss of suitable nesting habitat; from 1992 to 2005, the species declined by 64 per cent in Canada. The best thing we can do to bring the population back up is to provide nesting areas for them in suitable locations and then not disturb them.
Appearance
- An At Risk species in Alberta (around 865 pairs estimated in Alberta based on 2015 survey).
- Wingspan can reach 1.5 metres.
- Largest of North America’s hawks (63 cm long).
- Light-coloured, rusty back, light and unbanded tail (there is also a dark morph with rufous-brown feathers)
Habitat
- Migrate from southwest United States and Mexico.
- Prefer areas of uncultivated pastureland or prairie.
- Only one of two raptors to use grasslands as main habitat.
Food
- Mainly feeds on rodents (ground squirrels, mice, voles, white-tailed jackrabbits).
- One pair (with chicks) consumes an average of 480 ground squirrels per season.
- Hunt during the day when squirrels are active.
Timeline
- Arrive in Alberta in early to mid March.
- Nest and raise chicks from mid-April to late-July.
- Migrate south in September and October.
Courtship
- Mainly monogamous.
- Meet and perform dancing routine in the sky. Finally, the pair grasps beaks and talons and spirals downwards.
Breeding
- Birds return to the same area (often the same nest).
- New sticks and twigs are added to existing nest each year.
- Historically, they used bison bones and dung.
- Nests can be found from ground level to 20 metres high (cliffs, haystacks, farm buildings, trees).
- May have up to five nests but only use one each year.
- They lay three to five eggs each year.
Lifespan
- Incubation is 32-36 days.
- Attempt flight at about two months.
- Mature at three years of age.
- Live to 15 or 20 in the wild.