With a very long flight to Argentina to prepare for, this juvenile needs to get in shape fast. Taken a couple weeks ago, this Swainson’s hawk nest had two little ones this year.
While its coloring belies its age, this one was already nearly as big as dad. While it had already taken its first flights, it was a bit unsteady in some breezy winds but used the extra lift the wind provided to practice hopping up and down while flapping.
Swainson’s hawks spend their winters in South America and have one of the longest migrations of any raptor. In the coming weeks, they will begin gathering and then start the long journey.
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