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The Rusty Squirrel-Hawk AKA Ferruginous Hawk

10,000 Birds

I took a ride up to the Fall River Valley back in October and spotted both morphs in the large grasslands where we also usually see Rough-legged Hawks and Prairie Falcons. They are often seen on the ground since their prey consists mainly of rabbit, prairie dog and, you guessed it, ground squirrel. This is the light morph.

Squirrels 156
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Forgotten Prairies

10,000 Birds

Ferruginous Hawks are native to our western short-grass prairies and their diet comprises almost completely of prairie dogs. Well, the ongoing issues of land development, sport shooting, and the rancher’s war on these animals keeps prairie dog populations from ever booming. Not too bad eatin’, huh?