Learning to identify raptors

Learning in the field from an experienced observer is one of the best ways to learn how to identify raptors. But there are many details to raptor ID, some very subtle, so that even the most experienced raptor watchers need to check reference material every now and then. While there are some raptors we see on an almost daily basis, there are some that are less common, and so can present more of a challenge. Here are some of the resources that we recommend for learning about raptors.

Mobile apps

Dedicated to raptors:

• Raptor ID app from Hawkwatch International (free)

General Bird Identification Apps:

• Sibley Birds ($)
• Audubon Bird Guide (free)
• Merlin Bird ID – useful for birds that you can hear or take photos of; highly recommended for general learning about birds, but not particularly good for raptors (free)

Online courses:

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology Hawk and Raptor Identification course ($)

Videos

• HMA Lunch & Learn, Raptor ID Part 1  with Josh Haas, 1 hr 7 min
  HMA Lunch & Learn, Raptor ID Part 2  with Josh Haas, 58 min

Reference Books

• Hawks From Every Angle: How to Identify Raptors in Flight by Jerry Liguori
• Hawks at a Distance: Identification of Migrant Raptors by Jerry Liguori
• A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors by Brian Wheeler and William Clark
• Hawks in Flight by Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton