Bird of the Day, theme 'Raptors'

natureSep 23, 202629120,666

Today’s Bird of the Day theme is #Raptors, the daily prompt asking contributors to share birds of prey. The gallery features close-up portraits, action-in-flight shots, and hunting scenes, with entries ranging from small falcons to large owls and kites. Standouts include a red-tailed hawk giving a fierce side-eye, Coco the Mexican Spectacled Owl spotted in Saltaire, a Great Horned Owl parent leaping from a nesting cavity, and scenes of osprey-versus-crow fish theft and a hovering White-tailed Kite. Look for juvenile Cooper’s hawks, American Kestrels clutching dragonflies, Mississippi kites in flight, and multiple buzzards and merlins among the submissions.

JBC

@johnbcaddell.bsky.social

this little 2-footer with an attitude came out of its burrow and side-eyed me like I was lunch. #Raptors #BirdOfTheDay #owls

144416d ago

John Drummond3

Fun fact: the owl was looking straight ahead of its face. Owls cannot side-eye because they can't rotate their gigantic eyes within their sockets. That's why they turn their heads all the way around. bsky.app/profile/john...

MauiPat2

Like the boss that he is

skitziboo.bsky.social2

We call that the "stink eye"👁😊

dottiez.bsky.social1

Depending on which type of dinosaur he is descended from, you once might have been. Something to think about.

Dori & Wren 🐾🎗️🧷1

He's yelling at you to get off of his lawn!

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

A fabulous photo, of a wonderful owl. 👌🏼

julielfrost.bsky.social

@julielfrost.bsky.social

I tracked the relentless, plaintive call of a young red-tailed hawk and looked up.... #BirdOfTheDay #Raptors #BirdPhotography #Nature #wildlife #Photography

A young red-tailed hawk viewed from directly below its perch high in a tree. The bird's talons and head are the focal points.

116617d ago

Paul Barone8

This is a Cooper's Hawk visiting my bird bath while I watered my garden.

A Stoic Gardener4

Sometimes I hear that raptor screech and see those mimics, the Steller's Jays, rather than a hawk.

DirtyDLSmk23

Stay on target. Stay on target...

nufcgirl.bsky.social3

Hopefully it didn't poop on you!!!

leiler-laz.bsky.social3

Great capture 🤣. The Hawk told me it was contacting its lawyer about the unforgivable butt shot, so watch out for vultures!

Clinty12

Wow! Great shot and great angle!

JulieW67

@juliew67.bsky.social

#BirdOfTheDay #Raptor #Birds Meet Coco, a Mexican Spectacled Owl I met on Sunday in Saltaire

A photo of a small owl sat upon a curved perch.
The bird is a female Mexican Spectacled Owl called Coco.
She has pale cream coloured feathers on her front with a dark brown head and wings. Around her eyes and under her beak are white feathers that look like the shape of glasses. She has beautiful big amber coloured eyes and and light cream beak

95217d ago

Mia your fav3

Aww, Coco is gorgeous! 🦉😊

MalcolmSpellman2

That owl gets it. That owl says “no cute fluffy owl shit over here. Just stoic owl shit right here!”

J.Day2

A Mexican "Where Are My Spectacles!" Owl I know that feeling.

Yvonne Redknap

@yredknap.bsky.social

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme #Raptors, I have a red-tailed hawk. He was relaxing in the sunshine, on the roof of a coffee shop that I go to. #photography #birds #ECK

A red-tailed hawk is sitting on a flat rooftop, seemingly relaxed in the sunshine. He is facing to the right, looking at the sunrise, and his head and chest feathers are lit up, while his back is in shadow. The sky around him is a clear blue

77817d ago

Catincognito skeeting since 07/3/20232

Awesome I have one devouring his prey

james f. bread 🍞⁴🏴1

Aww he's so cute! 🥰

Fleetlife1

Beautiful. There was one perched on the weathervane of a nearby church, a couple of crows were harassing it, didn't even phase. It was interesting to watch.

Louise1

Maybe he was waiting for his macchiato latte. No, Red tails are very practical he just wants a cup of black coffee, to go. Great shot!

Barrie Cull1

Lovely detail on the feathers in that photo and I love the contrast of the blue sky with the reddish brown of the hawk Yvonne 🙂

Cheryl Huerta1

It's not uncommon when traveling on I-5 through Oregon in the early morning or at dusk to see several red-tailed Hawks perched on lamp posts or fence posts surveying a field. It's a wonderful thing to see.

mjlinde.bsky.social

@mjlinde.bsky.social

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay Alt is: #Corvids; any member of the crow family. #birds #ECK #birdphotography #naturephotography #birdsofbluesky A wonderful capture of the beautiful black #raven up close 📸 ImperatorFuriosa @dortress.bsky.social

A close-up photo showing the beauty of a black raven.. including the fine detailed feathers on its curved beak. It's head looks very soft and fluffy. It's eyes are too black to almost be seen. The background is blurred gray and a light peach; it appears to be stone.

67316d ago

ImperatorFuriosa1

And here you go again, showing off one of my personal favorites. ❤️ TY! I've not been 'birding lately', so this will drive me back to the catalogue...

Mongo, The Dog Who Was A Whale1

GO A L L C O R V I D S

noexperienceneeded.bsky.social

@noexperienceneeded.bsky.social

The same Eagle on the tree from a photo I shared a month ago but with a slightly different angle. #birdoftheday #Raptors #pnw #wildlife

An eagle perched on a tree with the ocean as the background.

73216d ago

Aintright

@aintright.bsky.social

Simon the Sparrowhawk. This guy tried unsuccessfully to grab a Nuthatch while I was sitting watching my log pile in the woods. He landed about four yards away and I couldn't get him all in the frame. #BirdOfTheDay #Raptors #Birds #Widlife #BirdPhotography #ECK

51617d ago

franceflo.bsky.social2

Regardless, great passport photo 🤣

Christian Thiels1

What a great photo, Bill! Lucky you! And thanks for your excellent photographic craftsmanship of course.

A Stoic Gardener1

Wow, that's a beautiful shot! Still, I'll always be rooting for the nuthatch.

WgwWvf1

Yup. That means the guy was wrongly framed. = Maybe the guy was just trying to ALERT the nuthatch.

brianpratt01.bsky.social1

Crash bang wallop what a picture what a photograph !

ABOLISH ICE NOW!1

It's better as you captured him... :)

Tim Osborne Photography 🍁

@timosborne.ca

From @atlanticbirding.bsky.social, today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Raptors, any bird of prey. So, here's a Great Horned Owl parent leaping out of a nesting cavity, most likely to seek a meal for her youngsters. #birds #owls

A Great Horned Owl with wings above her head begins to launch from a tree hole that was serving as a nesting cavity. One of her fluffy youngsters can be seen behind her.

41616d ago

Dr. Heather Hinam 🍁 🇨🇦3

Incredible photo, Tim. The colours are perfect.

Morgan Biscup1

What a great image. I can't stop staring, I love seeing how well their camouflage actually works. (Also I keep forgetting how fluffy their legs are, and I love reminders.) Thank you for sharing this!

Nimblenewt1

Cozy toes🤎 Great moment capture!

Erin Raeburn1

Gorgeous shot! They almost look carved into the tree.

gridflay1

Incredible shot- usually when you get a great look at their camouflage, they're silhouetted. Here you can see how good that camo is! Beautiful shot 😊

Alex Sauerbrunn

@birdsbyalex.bsky.social

A White-tailed Kite suspended in an angelic hover before descending on its prey. #Raptors #BirdOfTheDay #birds #nature #wildlife #photography

A white bird of prey hovers in the air with its wings spread and tail fanned against a clear blue sky. Photographed in Playa del Rey, California.

40916d ago

SoCal Leslie3

The most graceful raptor in flight other than a swallowtail kite. Gorgeous..

Jan Casavant1

Gorgeous shot, Alex! I miss seeing these beauties! 🤩

Car Czar1

This is an amazing shot

Bruce Grembowski1

Wow, what a great capture!

Eric Olson Photography

@ericolsonphotography.com

Happy Wednesday, everyone. @atlanticbirding.bsky.social says today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Raptors, so here’s a Mississippi kite. #Birds #Photography #EastCoastKin #ECK #EricOlsonPhotography

A Mississippi kite perches in a live okay facing the camera and looking to the left. The tree’s foliage form a natural frame around the bird.

42517d ago

SammyTheCat1

Oh, WOW, thank you for sharing! I’ve never seen one so photos must suffice 😆 What a beautiful bird! 😍 🐦

2.5 more years?1

got a bunch in my neighborhood. sometimes they swoop right by me in my yard, lol.

Rhonda Howard

@1184outdoors.bsky.social

He’s not sharing his dragonfly with anyone. American Kestrels are part of the falcon family, and one of North America’s most colorful birds of prey. #Raptors #BirdOfTheDay 🪶 #ECK

39016d ago

LP 💙❤️🇺🇸🦅1

Love it, such a gorgeous bird.

Amy Gann

@amygann.bsky.social

Don't ask me to quote. - raven For the #birdoftheday theme of #corvids #birds #raven #protectnature #EastCoastKin

A raven stands on a pile of cut wood. The sun is shining and highlights the texture of its feathers

33817d ago

Marshmallow & Cricket 🦗 (Mom)6

Hey, for once I can do #birdoftheday I have visiting Scrub Jays. I wish they'd stay That long board thing is a tunnel I made for the ground squirrels but they run beside it 🤣

Neil Cameron1

Oh what a stunner! Great shot, Amy!

Clinty1

@clinty1.bsky.social

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Raptors - any bird of prey Here's a foraging Northern Harrier #Birds #NorthernHarrier

A northern harrier hawk landing in a marsh area of dry reeds. This is a medium sized hawk. It's wings are in a V shape

29617d ago

pinkivypearl.bsky.social10

#Red-tail Hawk hanging out #Raptors, #Birdoftheday

Puregoldj1

I saw this black vulture looking for lunch walking through the woods near home.

Lyndy Lambert

@lyndyphotos.bsky.social

Two themes in one image - #Raptors and #Corvids. A fish crow tries to steal the osprey’s fish breakfast. #BirdOfTheDay #EastCoastKin #birds

28517d ago

Atlantic Birding4

Great Twofer Lyndy, that’s is a very startled Osprey!!!

Bob Wheeler1

Of course a corvid would do this. The most brazen of birds as they know they’re the smartest.

BiscuitTech1

thats the most lifelike muppet Ive ever seen

Tim1

Biologist at Kennedy Space Center, years ago we had a falcon chase an osprey into the VAB, kill it and eat it. Had I not seen the video I wouldn’t have believed it.