Feel free to capture or screenshot any image for personal use (Shift + Command + 4 on Mac) or (Windows + Shift + 4 on PC) : drag a box over your desired image, then drag or save to your desktop. In lieu of payment, please consider making a donation to the SPCA Monterey County Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, Monterey Audubon Society, or an animal rescue group of your choosing. All photographs by JH Kilbuck

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 converge. Like most raptors, it aggressively defends both its nesting and hunting territories.