Raptor of the Week: Mississippi Kite

Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis

This graceful bird now regularly occurs in Iowa, being reported each year. It
returned in 1978 after an absence of some seventy years. There are historic
records of nesting in Iowa; in modern times, it has nested in Polk County in
1995 and succeeding years, and there is recent evidence of probable nesting in
Ottumwa.

The Raptors of Iowa, paintings by James F. Landenberger

Raptor of the Week: Broad-Winged Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus

This midsize buteo is a common migrant but a rare nester in Iowa. During
migration, it can move in large flocks of two to three thousand birds or more.
It nests sparsely across the state, usually in deep woodlands. Iowa birds are
gone by mid to late October and are virtually unknown in the state after that.

The Raptors of Iowa , paintings by James F. Landenberger

Raptor of the Week: Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus


This exciting accipiter is a common migrant, seen in Iowa from mid March
to mid May. It is an uncommon winter resident and apparently a very rare
nester, with newly fledged young being seen in western Iowa and in Hardin
and Lucas counties in recent years. It may have been a fairly common nester
prior to the twentieth century.

The Raptors of Iowa , paintings by James F. Landenberger

Excerpt from The Raptors of Iowa

The species' recovery that blows the door off all other raptor recoveries is the bald eagle. No bald eagle nests were known in this state from 1906 through 1976. In 2012 there appear to be more than three hundred active nesting territories within, at least, ninety-three of Iowa's ninety-nine counties. To put this species' recovery in perspective, Iowa now holds two-thirds as many eagle nests as existed in the entire lower forty-eight states in 1963. While outlawing use of DDT in this country in 1973 was a major coup for this species, so were other federal laws, like the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. But even with these protective laws, I suspect no one could have predicted the huge population recovery that this species has shown. Iowa's recovery goal was to have ten active nests by the year 2000; there were at least one hundred nests that year!

Certainly there were widespread efforts in the 1980s and 1990s to assure that every active Iowa eagle nest was protected and watched over, but it was particularly encouraging to discover that this species was apparently adapting to living in close proximity to humans. Numerous eagle nest trees in Iowa are located within fifty yards of people's homes or outbuildings. At least two are located above parking areas at boat ramps. It appears that eagles are adapting to human activity. Perhaps a mutual benefit has grown out of this relationship, since most people who have eagle nests on their property are absolutely delighted. The world-famous Decorah nesting eagles that are featured on Bob Anderson's webcam certainly seem to have improved the status of the bald eagle as well.




From the essay by Jon W. Stravers in The Raptors of Iowa , paintings by James F. Landenberger

Excerpt from The Raptors of Iowa

In childhood, Jim was a doodler. Rarely far from a scrap of paper, he used his pencil to create visual magic. This love of images led to a long career as an advertising artist at the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Designing display ads for cars, chiropractors, banks, and boutiques may have satisfied his doodling passion but left him remote from the birds he loved.

Jim's evenings were spent in his home studio, painting birds with the dream of becoming a successful professional freelance wildlife artist. Helped and mentored by good friend and renowned Canadian wildlife artist J. F. (Fen) Lansdowne, Jim perfected his craft. Eventually he sold a painting. Then another. Then limited-edition prints of his original watercolors began selling.

Jim's dream became reality when, after winning the Iowa waterfowl stamp contest in 1973 with his painting of gadwalls, he became the first three-time winner of the Iowa outdoor stamp design contests. With those awards came celebrity status and more painting and print sales in the golden era of wildlife art. He left the Gazette in 1977 to devote his energy to art.

Jim's work promoted his other passions: conservation and teaching. His art communicated the deep commitment to the protection of nature that permeated the very fabric of his being. Through art he became an effective teacher and motivator. Scan a Landenberger painting and you will see birds, fish, or furry animals surrounded by leaves, grasses, seeds, and sky in utter accuracy. Viewing a Landenberger painting sparks a desire to grab a pair of binoculars, strap on boots, and head for marsh, woods, or stream.

From the essay by Rich Patterson in The Raptors of Iowa , paintings by James F. Landenberger