Gus stares at me, his eyes deep brown and unblinking. There’s something primitive about his gaze. It’s certainly not a human look, and I wonder what he sees,
 what he’s thinking. Gus is a 19-year-old golden eagle and a resident ambassador at Teton Raptor Center for 17 years, since the early days when Teton Raptor Center was the Raptor Fund (with only $100 in the bank, some mice in the freezer, and raptors in the living room of the center’s founders, Roger Smith and Margaret Creel). Smith tells people: Staring into a raptor’s eyes is staring into true wildness. He believes one of the gifts of Teton Raptor Center is that it allows people to experience that wildness at arm’s length. From its humble beginnings, Teton Raptor Center has grown into an educational and rehabilitative organization with a $1.9 million budget and a 27-acre campus on the historic Hardeman Ranch in Wilson, Wyoming. The facilities include an innovative flight barn and clinic for the care and rehabilitation of injured raptors, a dedicated space for educational programs, a nature shop in the restored Hardeman Barn, and housing and office space for staff and interns.
 

 
RESIDENT SPECIES


Five types of raptors can be found in Jackson Hole: owls, falcons, hawks, ospreys, and eagles. All raptors share three characteristics. They are carnivores able to hunt, catch, and kill live prey. They have strong talons or toes that can grasp and hold their prey. (The name raptor comes from the Latin word rapere, which means to grab with force.) And they all have sharp beaks capable of tearing off bite-sized chunks of meat. Some of the most common raptors found in the region include ...

Great Horned Owls, Bubo virginianus:

The most common owl species in North America, great horned owls, are known for their distinctive ear tufts and deep hooting voices. Great horned owls are crepuscular animals (which means they are active at dawn and dusk), and their excellent vision and hearing allow them to hunt mice and voles in dim light. With an average wingspan of 4.6 feet and height of roughly 2 feet, these owls are surprisingly light, weighing around 2 to 3 pounds, with females coming in slightly larger than males. Great horned owls take over nests abandoned by other species to raise their young.

Red-Tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis

Named for their distinctive red tail feathers, red-tailed hawks actually show up in a wide variety of color morphs. Red-tails are one of North America’s most widespread and commonly seen large hawks and can often be spotted perched on telephone poles and large trees or soaring overhead. Red-tails have wingspans of nearly 5 feet, and weigh between 1.5 and 3.5 pounds. The birds feed on ground squirrels, voles, mice, and rabbits. They are also known to eat snakes — a red-tail can swoop in and grab a rattlesnake with its talons before the snake has time to strike.

Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

One of the most seen raptors in Jackson Hole, due to the nesting platforms found along the highway between Jackson and Wilson, ospreys live on every continent in the world except Antarctica. An osprey’s diet consists almost entirely of fish, and they are excellent anglers, successfully snagging their prey in at least seven out of every 10 attempts. Ospreys have remarkable vision that enables them to see fish below the water’s surface, and when they dive, a nictitating membrane moves across their eyes, creating a type of goggle that allows them to see clearly underwater.

Bald Eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus

In 1963, only 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles remained in the lower 48 states due to the impact of the pesticide DDT, which caused the eagles’ eggshells to become so thin they broke before chicks could hatch. Today, thanks to the banning of DDT and other conservation efforts, there are more than 70,000 nesting pairs of bald eagles in the continental United States, and they are a common sight in Jackson Hole. Typically found within a mile or two of rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water, bald eagles primarily eat fish. They range from 28 to 40 inches in length, have a wingspan between 5.9 and 8 feet, and weigh 8 to 14 pounds. Opportunistic predators, bald eagles hunt a wide variety of prey including reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds. They are also known to harass other birds to steal their food and will scavenge carrion when available. Bald eagle nests can be 10 feet wide and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. The birds live 20 to 30 years in the wild, and longer in captivity. They mate for life and share the task of raising their young — usually two to three chicks that can double in size during the first 24 hours of life.

Swainson’s Hawk, Buteo swainsoni

Typically found in open country, Swainson’s hawks are known to migrate more than 12,000 miles from their breeding grounds in western North America to wintering grounds in South America. They feed on a variety of small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and amphibians. The birds soar or perch to search for prey and are skilled at catching insects on the wing, although they can also be seen running around on the ground in search of bugs. Swainson’s hawks have been conditioned to follow tractors and other agricultural equipment, having learned that rodents are exposed by the harvesting and plowing, leading to an easy meal.


SPECIAL GUESTS


Great Gray Owl, Strix nebulosa
While great horned owls are the most common owl, great grays are one of Jackson Hole’s more exotic residents. Great grays are the tallest owls, standing as high as 33 inches. The birds look deceptively big because of the dense feathers that allow them to survive in cold, harsh conditions, but they typically weigh less than three pounds.

Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
While bald eagles steal the show in Jackson Hole, goldens are also present. Bald eagles are fishing eagles and live near water, while goldens prefer mountain and sagebrush habitat. Known as “booted eagles” because their legs are covered with feathers all the way down to their toes, goldens prey on a wide variety of mammals, ranging in size from rabbits up to young pronghorn antelopes. Golden eagles are similar in size to bald eagles and are known for their agility and speed in flight. They also mate for life, with their chicks leaving the nest at 10 to 12 weeks old.

Explore More in Jackson Hole

This blog is an excerpt from the 2024 Jackson Hole Explorer Magazine. To dive deeper into the wonders of Jackson Hole and uncover more hidden gems, get your copy of the Explorer. It’s filled with insider tips, detailed guides, and stories to enhance your visit and make your experience unforgettable.

Visit the Teton Raptor Center
​A must-visit is the Teton Raptor Center. This incredible organization is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of injured raptors back into the wild. Here, you can meet resident raptors like Gus, the golden eagle, and learn about the vital work being done to protect these magnificent birds. The Teton Raptor Center offers educational programs that allow visitors to experience the wildness of these creatures up close, making it an educational and awe-inspiring stop on your Jackson Hole adventure.

Wildlife Tours: An Adventure Not to Miss
When visiting Jackson Hole, taking a wildlife tour is a must. These tours offer a unique opportunity to see a wide variety of wildlife in their natural habitats. One of the highlights is the chance to observe the many species of raptors that call this area home. From the majestic bald eagle to the elusive great gray owl, these tours provide an up-close look at some of the most fascinating birds of prey.

Header Image Courtesy of Syler Peralta-Ramos with Pangea Expeditions