[an error occurred while processing this directive] | | 
Birds of Prey

EYEING THE MASTER A Red Tail
hawk eyes master falconer Kin Quitugua. The Douglas County Division of Open Space
had a two-hour nature hike Feb. 6 at the North Willow Creek property that ended
with a presentation by HawkQuest, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating
people about birds of prey. |

HawkQuest
Volunteer handler Jean Vore holds a bald eagle named 'Free Spirit.'
Bald eagles have a wingspan of 6 1/2 to 8 feet. Since 1995, it has been listed
as a threatened species. Bald eagles build large stick nests that sometimes weigh
more than 1 ton. |
| |

A Harris'
or bay winged hawk flies back to its handler during the HawkQuest demonstration
Feb 6. In the wild, these hawks often
are seen sitting in pairs on tall posts and can be quite tame (especially the
young) if approached with care. The hawk
was discovered by American naturalist Audubon and named after his friend, Col.
Harris, who was with Audubon when he saw it. |

The great
horned owl is the most fierce and aggressive owl in North America.
It can be found in a variety of habitats such as cities, parks, residential
areas and industrial developments. Owls
are nocturnal hunters. They cannot move
their eyes from side to side but can turn their heads three-fourths of the way
around. |
The Douglas County Division of Open Space sponsored
a two-hour, open-space hike at the North Willow Creek property near Roxborough
State Park. The hike Feb. 6 ended with
a presentation by HawkQuest, a nonprofit organization dedicated to | | | educating people about birds of prey and their importance in the
Rocky Mountain ecology. The presentation included a red tail hawk, a Harris' hawk, a great
horned owl, a peregrine falcon and a bald eagle. HawkQuest Founder and master
falconer | 
|
The
peregrine falcon can dive at speeds up to 200 mph. The populations of the falcons were nearly
depleted because of the pesticide DDT, but recovery efforts in urban areas, including
Denver, have been successful. |
Kin Quitugua talked about the differences among species, habitats
and hunting techniques. Quitugua
founded HawkQuest in Parker in 1986. | | |
| | | | |
|
Reprint
from News~Press, February 13, 2002, 110th Year, No 21 For information about HawkQuest, including how to book
a program or to become a volunteer, call (303) 690-6959. |