Smaller raptors, such as this sharp-shinned hawk, have sharp, hooked beaks for ripping and tearing their prey. Like other birds of prey they also have strong feet with sharp, hooked claws for grasping prey.

I have been thinking of the Audubon winter raptor survey lately. It isn’t far off. It will begin in November and be done once a month until March. The survey on the peninsula provides information as to how well the Long Beach Peninsula supports raptors during the winter months. To this end, this is a great time to review the world of some of our raptors.

As Dr. David Bird, a well-known ornithologist, said in 2019, this group of birds of prey is a “varied group and a common description does not apply to all of them.”

Hawks, eagles, vultures and their relatives include bald eagle, osprey, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-tailed hawk, and rough-legged hawk all of which we can see on the Long Beach Peninsula either in season or all year round.

Here are a few photos and interesting facts to enrich your sightings of these highly skilled hunters.