Facts about Harris's Hawk
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Named after the naturalist Edward Harris, a close friend of John James Audubon who funded several of his ornithological expeditions.
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Harris's Hawks are the only North American raptors known to engage in sustained soaring flights lasting several hours while hunting cooperatively as family units.
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A Harris's Hawk's distinctive yellow cere and facial skin can brighten noticeably during breeding season as blood flow increases to these unfeathered facial regions.
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Chestnut-and-gray plumage distinguishes Harris's Hawks from other North American raptors, with adult females reaching up to 24 inches in length compared to males at 19 inches.
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Up to 65 miles per hour represents the maximum diving speed of Harris's Hawks when pursuing prey through open terrain.
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Monogamous pairs of Harris's Hawks mate for life and often return to the same nest site year after year, sometimes reusing and renovating a single nest for over a decade.
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Juvenile Harris's Hawks remain with their parents for up to two years, learning hunting techniques before establishing their own territories or joining bachelor groups.
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Harris's Hawks range across the southwestern United States through Central and South America, inhabiting desert scrublands and open woodlands from sea level to 6,500 feet elevation.
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Three Harris's Hawks working together can hunt prey up to 20 times their individual body weight through coordinated cooperative attacks.