The Urban Chickenhawk

I had the privilege this past week to be consulted by the staff of the historic North Carolina State Capitol building in order to identify a bird of prey that was evidently taking up an extended residence at the building. The staffers were long accustomed to seeing a Red Tailed Hawk. Was this newbie a youngster? or possibly something more exotic like a young Peregrine Falcon? A good look at the photo told me the Capitol was hot to an American Kestral, or as country folk would call it, the "Chickenhawk." Even I was surprised. In the city? But a passing reference in one of my field guides assured me that this very common falcon was possible in a very wide range of habitats, and that meant even the urban jungle of downtown Raleigh. Surely this bird has found a good high perch for hunting small songbirds or rodents. And this lesson is useful: don't let the stereotypes rule. I got caught because my mental image of Kestrals are of lone birds perched on power lines in open country. And watch those field marks!