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Weekly Update on our Red-shouldered Hawk family



On May 1 we reported that a family of Red-shouldered Hawks has nested in our
back yard in Chapel Hill, and that four voraciously hungry chicks were
hatched, beginning on April 26.  We are happy to report that as of today,
the twelfth day since the first hatching, all four chicks are doing just
fine.  Both parents seem to be working very hard, bringing snakes, mice,
moles, baby squirrels, and many frogs, all of which seem to be divided up
pretty evenly by the mother among all four chicks.  The chicks are starting
to tear at the meat themselves, but still rely on the adults to tear most of
it up for them.  From the beginning the chicks have been furry white,
actually a bit grayish, except for a small triangular part at the back of
the head which is pure white.  Two or three days ago we started seeing the
black tips of the primaries and secondaries showing when they stretched
their wings.  Today we can even see the feathers starting to grow on the
tail and back.  The yellow cere is very distinct.  The chicks are starting
to stretch their wings more.  They balance precariously on the edge of the
nest to deficate outside the nest.  And today we saw one of the adults bring
some type of food and drop it in the center of the nest, and then each of
the chicks stood on the edge of the nest looking in to peck at the food.
They all seemed more comfortable standing on the edge of the nest.  We have
read in a birding handbook that Red-shouldered Hawks fledge at between 39
and 43 days.  But we have no idea how many young usually make it to that
stage.  We will report weekly on their further development.  
if you would like to meet the family, please give us a call to arrange a
time (home: 919-929-8679; office: 919-541-7394).

Alan and Sally Johnston
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
agj@rti.org