Zoo Buddy: Red-Shouldered Hawk!

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - Meet Harley! He's a red-shouldered hawk at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo in Monroe.

"They can eat anything from small mammals to crustaceans," says General Curator Lisa Taylor. "They live in The Woodlands, so they hunt for the fish, lizards, crawdads, and things like that."

Zookeeper Jessica Gordon works with Harley often and says he's got a huge personality.

"These guys are smaller than the red-tailed hawks, which are also found in North America," says Taylor. "But in particular in Louisiana, you'll see these guys. They have this beautiful striped tail along with what we call bands on it, and they're gorgeous animals, and their shriek when they're flying through the sky is pretty amazing. It's pretty unique."

They're also known for their large habitat.

"You can find them from the eastern United States all the way from Maine down to Texas, and they do migrate into Mexico, so they have a huge habitat range," says Taylor.

They also have great eyesight.

"They have a telescopic lens. They can see from up to a mile away, and they will use that lens to zoom in on their prey, and then go into a dive. It's very fascinating," says zookeeper Jessica Gordon.

This guy is in the education program, but you can see the zoo's other red-shouldered hawk, Capri, flying through Malone Stadium for ULM games.

More Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo News

While construction continues on the new Louisiana Purchase Exhibit, the Reptile Building is closed. Until then, you can request some reptiles at educational programs or birthday parties or you might just see one at the zoo when staff are taking them on a stroll. Call 318-329-2400 for more information.

Due to weather delays, construction crews believe the new exhibit will be open between December 2024 and January 2025.

You can also volunteer with the zoo. Contact the Louisiana Purchase Zoological Society through their Facebook page .

The zoo is open every day of the week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can get tickets to feed the budgies, feed the tortoises, ride the boat, or ride the train at the front office.

Click here for a breakdown of their prices.