Fewer Red-tailed Hawks?

[Richard Randell]

Has anyone else noticed a lack of Red-tails lately? I have only three observations May-Sept. 2025 compared with 12 during those months in 2024 and 21 in 2023.

Richard Randell
Johnson County

[Clayton Will]

Hi Richard,  I commented on that earlier in the Summer. Sadly with Bird Flu there is an all out onslot by Agriculture to kill birds by any means available. Particularly in confinement areas which is a lot of Iowa. In my comment I'll post a picture of at least 36 pigeons recently shot at a CAFO. I heard gunshots while I was counting shorebirds at a retention pond in front of the CAFO and then a pickup with all these birds on the bed  rollcover drove out. It's a difficult situation when food, jobs and nature come into conflict. The poisoning has far reaching impact into other species such as hawks and raptors. 

Clayton Will

Madrid

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[Angela Battle]

I had a pair of Red Tailed Hawks around for about a week last month feeding a youngster (very vocal)  but beyond that not so many but I have also noticed a general lack of all kinds of birds this early fall. Even the usual suspects who take to the feeders are absent. 

[ty.s...@smedesphoto.com]

According to an article published by Cornell last month, Bird Flu is still a significant issue and likely impacting Redtails Avian Influenza Outbreak: Should You Take Down Your Bird Feeders? | All About Birds .

 

Ty Smedes

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[Kellie H]

Kellie Hayden here, bander at Hitchcock Nature Center. I can't speak for the Hawkwatch Tower, but our RTHA captures at the station are extremely low at this point compared to most years. It is possible that some of our migrant population is short-stopped until cooler weather forces them S, but HPAI can be a compounding factor as well regarding why we're not seeing them.

The birds including RTHA we have banded so far this year have modest fat scores, but almost every single raptor has had flat flies. Fairly common parasite seen in raptors, but we're close to 100% of banded birds having flat flies, certainly 100% of our RTHA so far. MERL is the only species there hasn't had them.

Kellie Hayden

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