September 10, 2001

BIRDS OF PREY

Falco peregrinus by Steve

Snowy Owl by Justin

Our National Symbol by Jenna

Fish Hawk by Robert

Poetry

If I were a Red-Tailed Hawk by John

Great Horned Owl by Will

Mystical Hawk by Josh

Art

Bald Eagle by Alson & Josh

Peregrine Falcon by Drew

Screech Owl by Kathleen

Pale Chanting Goshawk imaginary bird   by Careen

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Mystical Hawk
By Josh, Grade 7
Milford Public School
Milford, NJ
Mr. Pilato

Look at the hawk flying high
Flying into the great blue sky
She can spot her prey miles high
Looking down from the great blue sky
Faster, faster, she tumbles down
Claws outstretched towards the closing ground
As she follows her prey all around
She doesn't make a single sound

She catches her little prey
A little mouse covered in gray
She rips apart her captured food
And carries it up to her nesting brood
They look like they had not eaten in awhile
The mother feeds them with a smile
They seem quite happy as they eat
Then snuggle together at their mother's feet

They are the cutest little sight
As they fall asleep for the night
Morning starts a brand new day
After they have slept the night away
It will take weeks for them to grow
And their mother will miss them so
She will teach them how to fly
Up and away into the great blue sky

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Snowy Owl
By Justin, Grade 2
George Washington School
Mahwah, NJ
Mr. Tedesco

The Snowy Owl is a silent bird. It sometimes makes a deep whoo. The Snowy Owl eats rodents such as rats and mice. It lays five to eight eggs. It has a white body and head, yellow eyes and a black beak.

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Great Horned Owl
By Will, Grade 2
George Washington School
Mr. Tedesco
Mahwah, NJ

It lives in woods
It tears its food apart
I feel happy when I hear one

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Peregrine Falcon
Drew, Grade 7
Minnehaha Academy
Minneapolis, MN
Mrs. Humason

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If I Were a Red-Tailed Hawk
By John, Grade 5
Silas Willard Elementary School
Galesburg, IL
Mrs. Ruehmer

If I were an Red-tailed Hawk
I would soar over the lands
Scanning the ground for food.
I'd be the greatest hawk in the world.
I'd soar like an airplane.
And if I were placed in a zoo
That would be okay with me
Because of all the children who would come to see me.
I would even let them hold me
For I am a hawk
So graceful and kind.
I'd love to be a hawk.

Fish Hawk
Robert, Grade 8
Harrington Middle School
Mt. Laurel, NJ
Ms. Barrett

Have you ever seen a hawk-like bird at the seashore diving into the water? This bird is commonly known as the Osprey. It's scientific name is Pandion haliaetus. Another common name for the Osprey is the Fish Hawk.

The Osprey's hunting method is very interesting. It flies over clear bodies of water and when it sees a prey, it dives down. The water blurs the image of the prey, but the osprey knows this and changes the way it dives to correct any distortion. When it is close to the water, it spreads its talons forward. After capturing the fish, it flies back to its nest.

Ospreys usually nest in trees. They often nest on platforms built by humans. The osprey has a white underside and head. There is a brown strip on the side of its head. Its wings and the top part of its body are also brown. It has medium-sized yellow eyes. The Osprey's feet have rough pads under their talons to help grip the prey. Its foot also has a special feature. One of the toes can turn forwards or backwards. So the next time you are down at the shore, look for the Osprey. Maybe you will be lucky enough to see it diving for its next meal.

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Our National Symbol
By Jenna, Grade 8
Harrington Middle School
Mt. Laurel, NJ
Ms. Barrett

When someone says "America", what do you think of? The flag? The country? The Bald Eagle? If you thought of the last one, you're not alone. When the founders of our country decided to come up with a national symbol, Charles Thompson came up with the Bald Eagle, and everyone agreed; everyone except Benjamin Franklin. According to Franklin, "He is a bird of bad moral character," and felt the wild turkey would make a better national symbol. Unfortunately for him, he was alone in his thoughts on birds, and William Barton drew the United States seal with the new national symbol as its centerpiece.

America's founders were not the first people to use the to use the Bald Eagle as a symbol. Drawings of Bald Eagles were found on the walls of caves from as far back as the Stone Age. It was also the symbol of the ancient Babylonian and Roman empires, as well as the Russian czars.

Despite the Bald Eagle's symbolic nature, its population started to decrease when the pioneers started to move to the western United States and cut down trees where eagles lived. The main threat to the Bald Eagle population however came when people started using DDT as a pesticide. It was carried from farms to streams and rivers and was absorbed by the fish that lived in them. The the eagles ate the fish contaminated with DDT. Soon after the use of DDT, Bald Eagles began laying eggs with thin, weak shells. Many never hatched, and of those that did, many matured  only to be unable to reproduce. By the 1960s, there were only about 450 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles left in the United States. In 1978, the Bald Eagle was declared an endangered species. Eventually, DDT was banned and the Bald Eagle population increased. In 1995, there were over 4,500 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles in the United States, and still growing. I hope our national symbol will continue to thrive for years to come. 

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It has been clocked at speeds of up to 220 mph. With a large wingspan and keen eyesight, the Peregrine Falcon is a true hunter. This amazing bird nests almost anywhere from cliffs, to boxes, to skyscraper buildings, preferring to nest near open land and water. Their young leave the nest 5-6 weeks after hatching.

A distinguished feature of the Peregrine Falcon is its black "sideburns" which lay to the side of its eyes. It has a narrow tail and quick wing beats. The Peregrine Falcon is 15-21 inches in length. The immature falcon has grayish brown feathers as opposed to the adult who has a grayish blue coloration.

The Peregrine Falcon's migration route follows seacoasts where they feed on migrating birds. These birds consist of pigeons, doves, and songbirds. In mid flight, falcons run directly into their prey with the intentions of killing on impact. When the falcon is in a dive at high speed, it uses a system of baffles in its nostrils to breathe. Without this, the Peregrine Falcon would pass out during its high speed chase.

In 1960, DDT affected the shell of the Peregrine Falcon's eggs, and in 1972, DDT was restricted from use in the United States. This falcon was saved from extinction by the ban of this particular pesticide. It can live to be 15 years old.

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Pale Chanting Goshawk
By Careen, Grade 7
Northmont Middle School
Clayton, OH
Ms. Hines