Order: Hawks, Kites, & Buzzards

A Harris's Hawk perched on a branch

Harris’s Hawks are a deep chestnut brown with yellow markings that make them stand out. They are a very social species, and have been observed raising young and hunting—an unusual trait for a raptor species! While on the hunt, a group of Harris’s Hawks will descend on their prey and flush it. Harris’s Hawks can…

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The Black Kite is a medium-sized, primarily brown raptor. Kites are characterized by their long wings and tails, buoyant and acrobatic flight, and ability to catch food in mid-air. Black Kites are widespread and adaptable and can be found throughout portions of Africa, Europe, and Australasia. They eat small mammals, other birds, carrion, and insects….

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An Augur Buzzard standing on leaves

Augur Buzzards are one of the most numerous types of hawks in Africa. In the Americas, the term “buzzard” generally refers to vultures, but in the Old World, the word’s original meaning was “hawk.” Augur Buzzards are members of the Buteo genus, a group of hawks found all over the world and known for their…

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In The News

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These Plants Can Turn Your Yard into a Hummingbird Haven (Featuring Insight from National Aviary Ornithologist Bob Mulvihill) | A-Z Animals

According to Bob Mulvihill, a Lead Ornithologist at The National Aviary, hummingbirds and flowers have spent millennia shaping each other.

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Peregrine falcons start incubating clutch of 4 eggs in Cathedral of Learning nest | WPXI

The National Aviary says Carla started incubating her eggs after laying a third one on Sunday afternoon.

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Peregrine falcon clutch of eggs growing in Cathedral of Learning nest | WPXI

The clutch of peregrine falcon eggs is growing up high on the Cathedral of Learning.

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Peregrine falcons on Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning lay first egg of season | CBS News

The National Aviary, which runs a livestream of the nest, said Carla laid the first egg around 4 a.m. on Wednesday. It's the first of up to six, though the average peregrine falcon clutch is four. 

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