Tools of the Trade

The talons of a harrier hawk, Circus approximans. I found it on the roadside this morning. Late yesterday I was alerted by the raucous cries of the plovers (lapwings). I looked up and saw the hawk gliding low into the trees at the far end of my garden toward the road. Maybe it hit the power lines, or a high vehicle.

Since I have not seen a hawk so close before I brought it into the lawn to have a good look, and took a lot of photos before burying it in the garden.

Harrier hawks are native to New Zealand and Australia, as well as other islands in the southwest Pacific. This one measured 45 cm from head to tip of tail, and it had a wingspan of about 1 metre.

More detail in large.