They do, at least in the Northeast. The only raptors that might hang around here, and only if they can eat, are eagles. Around here, they hang out at power station outlets (warm water, unfrozen, and fish gather there).
But like Snowy Owls, some far northern raptors will come south only a ways. Like Red Shouldered (I think) hawks will come south from Canada. I don't see them here ever really, only on bird trips in the winter that go further north to the Mohawk Valley. But our Red Tails, Sharp -Shinned, Coopers hawks, and Peregrine's and the Kestrels, don't stay around here, they definitely go further south for the winter.
So they are all likely passing by you too. And the young ones, inexperienced at hunting the fields and forests or usual ways, are starving and desperate. Experienced hawks might go both ways. If there's been good hunting and they've not been harassed they might try it. But generally Red Tails are cautious around people.
Yesterday the Hawkwatch counted 143 Red Tails coming through. Lots of Turkey Vultures too. Bald Eagles have been all through for the most part.
I had originally gone out to let the chickens out to forage beyond the moveable runs, and I would do my vocal exercises and chicken chores and watch them, when I found them fearful and hiding. So after giving them the sunflowers seeds I left them. Came back a while later, two were out getting pellets, so I sang again in there in the attached big wire run and they looked like it reassured them, and the other two came out of the coop but nobody had really any interest in going any further, even into where I was. Hazel ate pellets and drank (good) but stayed watchful. That's her in the back always with the neck up. But they all were pretty wary. It was so persistent I worried about a feral cat (our cat has indicated there's someone about) or a weasel and that's why I double-checked the electric fence. Maybe a hawk had been right over them in the trees. They are safe from hawks in both the wire runs, and safe in the aviary runs except if they are caught right next to the wall through the netting, relatively unlikely.
Butters' moltiness easy to spot on the left. She looks long-legged now, there's no feathers on her legs or belly, hardly. Popcorn in front, Peanut in the middle, Hazel in back. They were doing a lot of checking the coop door, in case they wanted to go up quickly.
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Everyone pecking around for any stray sunflower seeds while Hazel watches.
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Hazel and Popcorn conferring, Butters with head down, Peanut going to get a drink.
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Popcorn eating from the little cup feeder, Peanut and Butters head down, Hazel still watching.
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not too sure about the African swallow?
