These photographs are free to download for educational or personal digital sharing, provided clear credit is given to the photographer (JH Kilbuck). In lieu of payment, please consider making a donation to the local SPCA Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Monterey Audubon, or an animal rescue group of your choosing.

Red-Shouldered Hawk

A vocal and dynamic hunter, the Red-shouldered Hawk is roughly a third smaller than its cousin, the Red-tailed Hawk. Its piercing, gull-like screech is remarkably directional. In the air, beautifully bejeweled upper wings make this mid-sized raptor exceptionally striking as it prowls the areas where coastal sage, grasslands, and oak woodlands overlap. Like most raptors, it aggressively defends both its nesting and hunting territories.