Plot Twist in the Presidio

February 2019 - Last year, Presidio ecologists installed a webcam above a red-tailed hawk nest to capture the action during the upcoming breeding season. Thousands of viewers tuned in to watch as the resident pair of hawks fixed up their nest, laid eggs, and raised two healthy chicks. This year’s breeding season started off much the same as the last. The camera captured the hawks returning to their nest and fixing it up with fresh nesting materials during the day. But at night, it captured something else: a pair of great horned owls also began visiting the nest. Great horned owls do not build their own nests. Instead, it is common for them to take over nests built by other raptor species.

Sure enough, drama ensued as the hawks and owls fought for control of the nest. Check out their first face-off, followed by another confrontation a couple of days later. Ultimately, the owls won the fight, and laid two eggs in the nest in early February. The female has been incredibly determined, incubating the eggs through some of the strongest storms in recent history. They are expected to hatch in early March. Check out the Presidio’s livestream of the nest for rare views of the (often more secretive) great horned owls as they continue their journey.

Meanwhile, Presidio ecologists have continued monitoring the red-tailed hawk pair, and are attempting to determine which of their several back-up nests they may be using. Visit the Presidio’s raptor nest webpage to learn more, or contact Jonathan Young with any questions.

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Where this belongs

• Golden Gate National Recreation Area
• Presidio of San Francisco

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