(Jan. 18, 25, Feb. 1, 8, and 15th)

Nineteen species of raptors regularly occur in Washington State. These birds are fascinating, and their behaviors unique. Each species has many distinctive features. Birders find this group intriguing, and many people want to see each of them, learning more about their behaviors.

This course will help you become familiar with the eagles, hawks, harriers, falcons, vultures, and kites that make our state their homes. We will cover the characteristics, behaviors, and biology that will help you identify these marvelous birds. Learn to identify these remarkable birds and gain some knowledge of their natural history. The course will span all the species regularly found in Washington. The focus will be on learning characteristics and information that will help you name them and not just on-field marks.

Slides and homework will allow you to practice these skills.

One field trip is possible, and detailed information on possible field trips you can do on your own will be provided, including stops and what to look for at each place.

We will frequently review the information to help you solidify your knowledge and feel comfortable with your new abilities.

Topics discussed during this course:

• Eagles: Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, Osprey
• Hawks: Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Goshawk,
• Red-shouldered Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk
• Falcons: American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Gyrfalcon
• Vultures: Turkey Vulture
• Kites: White-tailed Kite

The goal is to help you learn to identify raptors, know what to look for when you see one and have a good understanding of their distribution and behavior.

Class Meetings:

Five sessions, each will be 90-100 minutes; (Jan. 18, 25, Feb. 1, 8, and 15th)

• Raptor Birding Skills: Size and Shape, Behavior, Habitat, Color Pattern, calls.
• Buteos – Begin working through these species – Review of the first lecture.
• Accipiters, Harriers; Review of Buteos
• Falcons & Review of Harriers, Accipiters, and others
• Eagles, Vultures, Kits, and Lots of Review – Putting it all together.

The presentations will be done using Zoom and you will be provided with a link to the zoom call before each session. This class will use Google Classroom to provide additional information, copies of the presentations, videos of the presentations, and lots of supplemental material that will help you learn these raptors and about them. Google Classroom is free, and you will need to have a Gmail account or
register your email with Google. Google Classroom is free.

About the instructor
Rainier Audubon is fortunate to have Thomas Bancroft offer this course. Thomas Bancroft has been a birder and ecologist all his life and has a Ph.D. in Ornithology.
He has birded in 48 states, several Canadian provinces, and on six continents. Tom began birding at a very young age in Pennsylvania, climbing into the kitchen sink to observe birds outside the window at his mother’s feeder.  Just before moving to Seattle, he served as Chief Scientist for National Audubon. Tom is a published author, an avid photographer, and has a wonderful sense of humor.

For more information about the Raptor course, contact Rainier Audubon Education Chair Cindy Flanagan cindy.flanagan@rainieraudubon.org

Cost

$85 Rainier Audubon Members
$100 Non-members

Become a member here.

Registration is closed. If you would still like to join the class, please contact Cindy Flanagan, skip the registration, and pay using the information below.

Pay using Paypal or Credit Card

Member?

Member $85.00 USD Non-member $100.00 USD