Common High Flyers of Pilot Mountain

Common High Flyers of Pilot Mountain. . Look up, out, or down and you are likely to see some of these high flyers soaring around here at Pilot Mountain State Park., Can you identify any of them?, Red-tailed Hawk , (Buteo jamaicensis) height 18-25 inches, wingspan 4 feet. A large stocky hawk with broad wings and a broad, rounded tail in silhouette. Adults have a rusty red tail. Red-tailed hawks are predators and feed mainly on small mammals., Turkey Vulture , (Cathartes aura) height 26-32 inches, wingspan up to 6 feet. More common than black vultures, look for the long rectangular tail. Their V-shaped silhouette makes them easy to identify from a distance. Vultures have no feathers on their heads, an adaptation for feeding on carrion., Black Vulture , (Coragyps atratus) height 22-26 inches, wing-span 4½-5 feet. Black Vultures are somewhat smaller than the turkey vulture with short square tails. Often seen mixed in with larger groups of turkey vultures., Common Raven , (Corvus corax) height 21-26 inches, wingspan 4-4½ feet. The common raven has a distinctive wedge-shaped tail and is much larger than the crow. In flight ravens hold their wings straight and alternate between flapping and gliding. Ravens are scavengers that will also eat garbage., American Crow , (Corvus brachrhynchos) height 16-21 inches, wingspan 2½-3½ feet. The crow has a fan shaped tailed and is seldom seen near the summit area. Another identification hint is its distinctive call of “caw-caw”. Crows are opportunistic feeders, eating almost anything including insects, small reptiles, fruits, seeds, nuts, and even trash.