While small mammals like mice and chipmunks are the favorite food of the Red-shouldered Hawk, next on the list are song birds. This hawk sits on top of a Purple Martin house overlooking the Falls Road Golf Course, and offers a somewhat chilling welcome for the Purple Martin,
which winters in South America. On the East Coast, Purple Martins nest exclusively in bird houses, and the older pairs of the birds arrive back in the area ahead of younger birds to reclaim their favored nesting spots. The Red-shouldered Hawk lives in thde area year-round and can be 18-24 inches tall with a wing-span between three and four feet.