Swainson’s Hawk
Wingspan over 4 feet
Known as birds of the open country, the Swainson’s hawk patrols the grassland.
Unusual hunting techniques include: Standing at an animal burrow waiting for the creature to appear, hopping around in the grass to scare up insects and grasshoppers, and grabbing flying insects with their talons while on the wing and then eating them while still in flight.
Can be seen at Bluff Lake during the summer but they migrate to South America which is about 7,000 miles away to reach their winter grounds in Argentina. Their migratory trip can take 2 months only flying during the day and during good weather!
During the summer they eat mammals, birds, and reptiles. The rest of the year they will eat insects, especially grasshoppers and dragonflies.