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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Phoenix: Recreational marijuana grows must stay indoors ... One dam at a time ... Rogue Valley Sewer Services must pay Phoenix franchise fee ... Phoenix: Recreational marijuana grows must stay indoors ... One dam at a time ... Rogue Valley Sewer Services must pay Phoenix franchise fee ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Red-shouldered hawks are 'doing fine' Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 20, 2015 at 8:21 PM Posted Jan. 20, 2015 at 8:21 PM » Social News That story (Jan. 10) about the young red-tailed hawk that got knocked silly when it killed a pigeon in downtown Medford was fascinating. It sure made a spectacle of itself on South Central Avenue. The picture was incredible too. But it got me thinking about red-shouldered hawks. I hear they are rare but I've seen a few outside of Jacksonville this past year. What's their status? — Colleen P., Email submission For you Since You Asked Central faithful who might have missed the story, a red-tailed hawk that successfully plucked a bird out of mid-air crashed into a downtown Medford store door, then stood on the sidewalk for about five minutes before clearing its head and flying away with its lunch. The only way to have made that story cooler was if it were a red-shouldered hawk, Colleen. "They're a beautiful hawk," says Pepper Trail, ornithologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Forensics Laboratory in Ashland. "They're a pretty recent arrival to the Rogue Valley," Trail says. "They are doing fine and their population seems to be growing steadily." According to the 2003 reference book Birds of Oregon, red-shouldered hawks had disappeared from Oregon for nearly a century before appearing in 1971 in Curry County. Since then they've spread around and their range now includes the Rogue Valley. While slightly smaller than red-tailed hawks, the red-shouldered hawk really stands out in the air with its bright reddish-orange underparts. You're most likely to see a red-shouldered hawk in semi-open woodlands or around forest edges. That makes the Jacksonville area a likely candidate. Trail says red-shouldered hawks are steadily moving north and east in Oregon. You're most apt to see them on the valley floor. Winter's a good time to find them perched in trees or power poles, ready to swoop down on rodents or birds like the downtown Medford red-tailed hawk did to that pigeon. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 20, 2015 at 8:21 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501