Indiana Birds of Prey:

Issues with Tree Pruning and Utility Line

Management

John Castrale

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Indiana Arborist Association Annual Conference

20 January 2011

Raptors in Indiana

Nesting habits

Substrates

Breeding season

Laws/regulations

Black vulture

Turkey vulture

Osprey

American Swallow-tailed Kite

Black-shouldered Kite

Mississippi Kite

Bald Eagle

Northern Harrier

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Northern Goshawk

Red-shouldered Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Swainson’s Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Ferruginous Hawk

Rough-legged Hawk

Golden Eagle

American Kestrel

Merlin

Gyrfalcon

Peregrine Falcon

Prairie Falcon

Indiana’s Hawks (23 species, 34 in N. Am.)

Barn Owl

Great Horned Owl

Barred Owl

Eastern Screech-owl

Burrowing Owl

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Snowy Owl

Long-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Indiana’s Owls (9 species, 19 in N. Am.)

Tree nesting species

Tree cavities

Black vulture

Turkey vulture

American Kestrel

Barn Owl

Eastern Screech-owl

Barred Owl

Stick nests

Osprey

Mississippi Kite

Bald Eagle

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Long-eared Owl

Great Horned Owl**

**will also use cavities

Expected Egg Dates Great Horned Owl February-March

Bald Eagle February-April

Barred Owl March-May

Red-tailed Hawk March-May

Long-eared Owl March-May

Eastern Screech-owl March-May

Red-shouldered Hawk March-June

Barn Owl March-June

Turkey vulture March-June

American Kestrel April-June

Sharp-shinned Hawk April-June

Broad-winged Hawk April-June

Cooper’s Hawk April-June

Osprey April-June

Black vulture April-June

Mississippi Kite May-June

Incubation Period Eastern Screech-owl 26

Long-eared Owl 27

Barred Owl 30

Mississippi Kite 30

Broad-winged Hawk 30

American Kestrel 30

Barn Owl 31

Red-tailed Hawk 32

Sharp-shinned Hawk 32

Red-shouldered Hawk 33

Great Horned Owl 33

Cooper’s Hawk 35

Bald Eagle 35

Osprey 37

Black Vulture 38

Turkey Vulture 39

Nestling Period

Sharp-shinned Hawk 24-27

Eastern Screech-owl 26-28

Cooper’s Hawk 27-34

American Kestrel 28-31

Mississippi Kite 30-35

Long-eared Owl 35-42

Broad-winged Hawk 35-42

Red-shouldered Hawk 39-45

Red-tailed Hawk 42-46

Great Horned Owl 42-49

Osprey 48-59

Barn Owl 50-55

Barred Owl 52-70

Turkey vulture 66-88

Bald Eagle 56-98

Black vulture 80-94

Signs of an active nest

Condition of nest

Behavior at nest

Nest establishment

Egg-laying

Incubation

Brooding

Nestling stage

Near flight stage

Vocalizations / aggression

White-wash

Pellets / prey remains

What to do if you cut down a nest or discover young

birds

Place the birds in a cardboard box

Contact a bird rehabilitator

DNR web site

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-RehabList.pdf

Conservation officer http://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/2755.htm

Laws and regulations pertaining to bird nests

Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines

Endangered Species Act

Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918

Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Russia

List of migratory birds (1,007 species) http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/RegulationsPolicies/mbta/mbtandx.html

Also applies to bird parts: feathers, eggs, nests

Unlawful (without a permit) to:

possess sell purchase

barter transport import

export import

Take – pursue, hunt, shoot, wound,

kill, trap, capture, collect

Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (cont.)

USFWS Migratory Permit Memorandum

15 April 2003

Clarifies the application of the MBTA to nest destruction

“The MBTA does not contain any prohibition that applies

to the destruction of a migratory bird nest alone (without

birds or eggs), provided that no possession occurs

during the destruction.”

No permits needed

Some unoccupied nests are protected by other statutes:

i.e., eagles, endangered species

Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

Adds “disturb”

For purposes of these guidelines, "disturb" means:

“to agitate or bother a bald or golden to a degree

that causes, or is likely to cause, based on the

best scientific information available,

1) injury to an eagle

2) a decrease in its productivity, by substantially

interfering with normal breeding, feeding, or

sheltering behavior

3) nest abandonment, by substantially interfering

with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering

behavior."

National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines

2007

http://www.fws.gov/pacific/eagle/NationalBaldEagle

ManagementGuidelines.pdf

Sensitive Time Periods for Bald Eagles

Breeding Timing Sensitivity

stage

Nest-building Dec-Mar Most

Eggs Feb-May Very

Nestlings Mar-Jul Very-Moderate

Fledging Jun-Aug Very

Timing and Buffer zones for various activities

Buffer zones

330 feet – activity not visible from nest

660 feet – activity visible from nest

Timing, visibility

Most disturbances allowed outside of nesting season

Contacts

US Fish and Wildlife Services

Law Enforcement – 317 346-7014

Office of Ecological Services – 812 334-4261

Regional Bald Eagle Coordinator – 517 351-8469

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Permits Coordinator – 317 233-6527

Conservation officer – through local sheriff

Nongame bird biologist – 812 849-4586