Kestrels are thin-winged, flat-chested, under-powered and lack acceleration compared to merlins. Short-eared owls used to be more common in grassland habitats in California, even down into San Diego County. There are efforts to figure out what’s going on with the population before it reaches a critical point. Kestrels are fairly common, but populations are declining – not just in California, but across the west. The female is substantially larger than the male. I looked through the bins and I distinctively saw the black stripe on the tail and we have a resident Kestrel at Dove Stone Reservoir, which is a stones throw away.

However, there is great variation in plumage in some dimorphic species and sometimes the sexes overlap or appear very similar (Rough-legged Hawk). I say that with much affection for them and with thousands of kestrel kills to prove these are not necessarily damning differences. The northern goshawk (/ ˈ ɡ ɒ s ˌ h ɔː k /; Accipiter gentilis) is a medium-large raptor in the family Accipitridae, which also includes other extant diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards and harriers.As a species in the genus Accipiter, the goshawk is often considered a "true hawk". When up close it has a fierce expression with bright red eyes and a distinctive white eyebrow. Its broad wings enable it to hunt at high speed, weaving in and out of trees, and its long legs and talons can catch its prey in flight.

A few species that show this plumage dimorphism are American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Hawk, Merlin, and Snail Kite. Comparing a red-tailed hawk to a Harris’ or goshawk will conjure equally negative points of fact, yet we all know how good trained red-tails can be! A. KOSTRZEWA, Department of Zoology, University of Cologne, Weyertal 119, D-5000 Köln 41, FRG; Search for more papers by this author *Bonnstraße 63 D-5040 Brühl 1, FRG. Authors. But now, it is rare to detect these birds breeding in the state. I've re posted a photo that I thought was a Kestrel flying over my house about 2 evenings ago. Some people also include owls but I haven’t in this presentation.

There are five families of birds that are regarded as raptors. The relationship of spring and summer weather with density and breeding performance of the Buzzard Buteo buteo, Goshawk Accipiter gentilis and Kestrel Falco tinnunculus. The goshawk is a large hawk, almost reaching buzzard size. Falcons and kestrels are also regarded as raptors, even though they are now taxonomically regarded as being more closely related to cockatoos and parrots.