Buteo use of Transmission Towers & Lines - Arapahoe

[Jared Del Rosso]

I have a view of transmission towers & lines from my yard in Centennial (Arapahoe County). Only a birder would think that an asset. I have regular sightings of Red-tails and occasional Cooper's Hawk sightings. on the towers The towers have also yielded me a Peregrine Falcon Sighting. Merlins and Kestrels are occasional users of it as well. 

The Red-tails only perch on the towers, not the actual lines. (Cooper's seem to prefer the towers too; though uncommon in my immediate neighborhood, Kestrels can be found on both.) You can tell the Swainson's Hawks are back, because you'll see them on both. The Red-tails appear out (at least over the past few days) earlier in the day. The Swainson's appear out in the mid-to-late afternoon. 

Can anyone think of reasons for these differences, or should I chalk it up to the selective and non-systematic nature of my observations?

- Jared Del Rosso, apparently missing all the Broad-wings...

Centennial, CO

[KevyG...@aol.com]

Hello Jared,

I think the fact that Red-taileds have bigger feet than Swainson's causes them to prefer a larger perch.  I have seen Red-tailed's on wires, but not often.  This is pure speculation, but perhaps the Cooper's prefer the towers because they provide lower perch points that give the birds a quicker path to their next meal.

Kevin Corwin    west Centennial, Arapahoe County