Hawk Ridge: Minnesota's Birds of Prey

(Hardback)

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Was Caesar like the eagle because of his aquiline (from aquila, for eagle in Latin) nose, or does the eagle seem imperial because of his Caesar-like beak Does the sharp vision of a hawk-eyed observer have any basis in nature And what the heck is kettling to a bird-watcher, or, for that matter, a bird Raptors have captured the imagination from time immemorial and have an especially rich history in Minnesota. The ancient peoples whose pictographs adorn the rock faces of Lake Superiors North Shore may well have witnessed the first hawk movements along Lake Superiorthe same annual migration that today draws as many as twenty thousand people to Duluths Hawk Ridge. These birds, passing through in astounding numbers, are among the hawks and accipiters, buteos and harriers, eagles and ospreys pictured and profiled in detail in this book.

Written by one of Minnesotas best-known bird authorities, with images by one of the states favorite illustrators, Hawk Ridge is as fun as it is informative. It introduces the states raptors, from the rare visitor to the most familiar hawk, noting each species signature traitsosprey wings, for instance, are crooked to help them catch fish; vultures urinate on their legs to cool themselvesand their nesting, breeding, and migrating habits. Did you know that Sharp-shinned Hawks banded at Hawk Ridge have been found throughout Central America and even into South America, and also, in midwinter, in Wisconsin Laura Erickson offers a broad perspective (a birds-eye view!), making sense of the raptors role in the larger ornithological scheme.

With descriptions of various speciesand helpful distinctions between species, families, and ordersthe book gives readers a clear idea of which raptors might be seen in Minnesota, when, where, and how often. It also includes a hawk migration primer that explains the movements that bring these birds in such awe-inspiring numbers to places like Hawk Ridge. Filled with curious facts and practical information for expert and amateur bird-watcher alike, the book is at once a guide to the hawks of Minnesota and a beautifully illustrated album of the most regal members of the avian kingdom.

Author Bio

Laura Erickson is the author of several books about ornithology, including Twelve Owls, For the Birds, Sharing the Wonder of Birds with Kids, 101 Ways to Help Birds, and The Bird Watching Answer Book. Her twenty-six-year-old radio program For the Birds is the longest running on the topic in the country and airs on more than a dozen radio stations. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.

Betsy Bowen is a woodcut printmaker and painter. She has illustrated several books, among them Twelve Owls, Great Wolf and the Good Woodsman and Big Belching Bog, all published by the University of Minnesota Press. She lives in Grand Marais, Minnesota.