JSouth

Food Preferences & Winter Destinations of Some Raptors
at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

When Hawk Migrates
Through Chincoteague

Destination

Food Eating at Chincoteague During Migration

Merlin Hawk    
Late Sept-early Oct Carribean Central America Small to medium birds (doves, woodpeckers, robins, starlings)
American Kestrel    
Mid Sept-mid Oct Eastern U.S. Caribbean Insects and small mammals (field mice and grasshoppers)
Sharp-shinned Hawk    
Mid-Sept-early Oct Caribbean and Mexico Small birds (swallows, starlings, blackbirds, robins)
Northern Harrier    
Late Sept-early Oct Southeastern U.S. & Carribean Small mammals (mice, rats) and small snakes
Coopers Hawk    
Late-Sept-mid-Oct South through Mexico to Guatemala & Honduras (See Note below.) Medium birds (flickers, doves) and small mammals
Peregrine Falcon    
Late Sept-mid to late Oct Central & So. America, Caribbean & So. U.S. Small to medium birds (ducks, shorebirds, flickers, etc)
Osprey    
Late Sept-early Oct South America Fish (Blue fish, Menhaden, Perch, etc.)
Bald Eagle    
Late Sept-early Oct Southeastern US (Atlantic eagles) Fish, waterfowl, (snowgeese), carrion