Raptors of Mexico and Central America

An Interview with Bill Clark and John Schmitt

by Sergio Seipke

In mid-March 2017 Raptors of Mexico and Central America hit the shelves of all major bookstores in the US. The hot-off-the-press field guide is the first one to cover the 69 species of diurnal birds of prey in the region, including rare or extralimital species. It features 32 stunning color plates with illustrations of both perched and flying raptors, and 213 carefully selected color photos. It provides detailed descriptions of known plumage variations by sex, age, morph and geography. It summarizes ID-relevant behavior, field-tested field marks, hunting strategies, vocalizations, and molt. Useful, accurate, and up-to-date range maps are a big plus. I believe this new field guide will change the game and anyone with a strong interest in raptor identification should own a copy. But don’t take my word for it, hear it from the very creators of the new field guide: Bill Clark and John Schmitt!

—Wow, the first true field guide to any Neotropical raptor fauna is out and you created it, how do you feel about this?

Bill: Both John and I are extremely pleased that our work was presented is such a professional manner by Princeton U. Press. And we are satisfied that our efforts over many years resulted in such a nice guide.

John: Bill and I are delighted that the book is finally available to raptor enthusiasts of all casts and we hope it will prove a useful tool. As a rule, raptors are treated peripherally in most field guides. Unlike most species treated in field guides, raptors not only require both perched and flying figures, but some are notoriously variable in appearance, and often authors and/or publishers deem it impractical to provide a thorough treatment. Consequently, the basic field guides devote only a token number of figures for reference and, as is often the case, the figures provided are not always accurate. We endeavored to provide a body of text, photography, and illustrations as up-to-date as possible to aid the user in identifying this challenging group of birds. And it is a work in progress, there is room for further refinement and elaboration on plumages and morphology. For now, I am honored to have again worked with Mr. Clark and to have contributed to the bird enthusiast’s reference library.

—The field guide includes both color plates and color photographs; what criteria did you use to decide which plumages and positions to illustrate, and photos to include?

Bill: We decided that a raptor field guide should include both color plates and photos. The plates are primary and the photos supplement them. In preparation for each plate, I sent John a list of what age and sex class to illustrate for each species on that plate and which figures to show perched front, back, or side and which soaring or flying. John then prepared a pencil sketch of the plate.

John: Paramount in any field guide format is utility of your materials, especially illustrations and photographs. A beautiful head portrait of a Red-tailed Hawk is of little use in field identification, whereas a good image that shows good color, pattern, and shape provides the necessary information to make an accurate identification. Maximum information in a photograph or illustration is the criteria in selecting a pose for an illustration or photograph. For instance, for the juvenile plumages of Great Black Hawk and Common Black Hawk, which are similar, a basic lateral perched profile is selected to illustrated and easily compare important field traits, i.e.: wing-tip to tail-tip ratio, primary projection, relative tail markings, relative length and mass of legs and feet, important markings, and so on.

—One of the things that really impresses me is the accuracy of the flight silhouettes in the color plates, how did you manage to make them so accurate?

Bill: After John did a pencil outline of each figure on the plate, we both checked the overall shape of the body, tail, and especially wings, and John made adjustments that we both agreed with. He then used these outlines to illustrate each figure in color.

John: It was a collaborative effort from start to finish and drawing upon every possible resource. Foremost is the ongoing study of bird anatomy and especially pterology (the study of feathers and the feather tracts) coupled with study of birds in flight both in the field and in moving and still photography. In this age of digital photography and the internet I have literally an infinite source of study material; I can, and do, invest enormous amounts of time pouring over internet images. But this is not enough. In order to compose and illustrate the figures on the plates I must reference materials of every possible source. This includes much field time, museum time, access to photographs, and even “zoo time”. Bill, as the architect of our book, chose the plumage types for all the categories (i.e., male, female, juvenile, color morphs, etc.) that were important to depict, and provided much of the necessary photos of wild free flying birds or museum specimens. I would then draft the flight figures as per Bill’s instructions. These first drafts were then critiqued by Bill and then the necessary adjustments made to the preliminary line drawings before I began painting. It’s impossible to over emphasize the value of the review process, with the net result being a more accurate figure. That stated, even with combining our perceptions, I see figures that could use further refining or even redrawing. Once a drawing is given the “OK” I paint it, using my personal and Bill’s field and museum notes, photographs of living birds and museum specimens. But even before laying down the first pigments, I pencil in all the feather detail and markings, a frustratingly tedious necessity. Especially on species with complex patterns. Depending on the species, the painting of a figure can require as little as two hours (White-tailed Kite) or four to six hours (soaring juvenile Common Black Hawk).

—You are both raptor ID experts; what would you say to beginner hawk-watchers is important to identify the raptors in Mexico and Central America?

Bill: First and foremost, enjoy the raptors you are watching. A good way to do this is to study the guide before going afield to watch raptors. When a raptor is encountered that one cannot identify, take many photos of it or make field notes relating what you see on the raptor. Then consult the guide.

John: Most important is to view a perched or flying raptor as long as possible and attempt to commit to memory as much detail of plumage and shape as possible. Then, before even referring to a field guide, write and/or draw what you remember. This requires training. I will often exercise my memory and “scrutinizing skills” by viewing birds, animals, and even people and memorizing details that I will immediately sketch in a small ring binder, or produce a drawing a few hours, or even a day or so later. After writing and/or drawing your notes, then refer to a field guide. In the beginning you may be surprised, and perhaps discouraged, at how much you missed or fail to remember. But with practice, you will find that you become a more methodical and thorough observer. Keep notes, and exercise on abundant species. Also, good optics are a big asset. A good camera and telephoto lens is a huge asset, with the advantage of being able to view and enhance an image in computer and being able to directly compare your image with field guide illustrations or photos. The disadvantage is you are not developing your memory or “scrutinizing skills” for field marks. The ideal approach is to combine all skill and tool sets.

—What would you say is the most challenging group of raptors to ID in Mexico and Central America?

Bill: There are many. First, separating Turkey from Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures, then Solitary Eagle from the black hawks, to Sharp-shinned Hawk vs. Double-toothed Kite (and, of course Cooper's Hawk), and Mississippi vs. Plumbeous Kites, Bat vs. Orange-breasted Falcons, and the forest-falcons, which are usually heard and not seen.

John: All groups may pose ID challenges in less than ideal viewing circumstances. If a soaring raptor is at a great distance and lighting is bad, it doesn't matter how good your optics are. Unlike some raptors, like the Roadside Hawk which routinely provides superb and prolonged views, others like the accipiters and micrasturs are notoriously difficult to secure good views. It requires a lot of field time, and a dose of luck, to accrue the kind of experience that allows you to ID raptors at a great distance or with a brief view and often under compromising lighting and or habitat conditions. And accumulating experience is not easy; with some notable exceptions (like migration concentration sites like the Veracruz “River of Raptors” in Eastern Mexico) raptors typically represent a tiny fraction of a day’s bird list in most habitats. And it is an even tinier fraction of a day’s raptor sightings that includes an observation of a raptor capturing prey, which remains, for me, one of the rarest and more valued experiences in the field.

—Where should anyone interested in field-testing the new book start? Or, in other words, what is your favorite destination in Mexico or Central America to watch raptors?

Bill: My first choice is Cardel in Veracruz, Mexico to observe the autumn raptor migration and the local raptors. But there are many good locations for observing raptors in Central America, especially in Panama, Belize, and Costa Rica.

John: Raptors occur in a wide range of habitats, with some species even benefiting and expanding their range because of the man-made alteration of the landscape. But other species are very habitat-specific and require relatively large tracts of preserved habitats. In order to maximize opportunities for seeing a greater diversity and number of raptors you can’t go wrong with confining your visits to national parks and preserves. And, of course, there are famous migration concentration sites in eastern Mexico and Panama.

—Why is this field guide important or why would anyone buy it?

Bill: Raptors are notoriously difficult to identify in the field. We hope that this guide will reduce the frustration of birders and researchers when they encounter a mystery raptor and permit them to make better identifications.

OK, so here it is. You heard it from them. I thank you both, Bill and John, for granting this interview, and to all of you for reading it.

How to get your Copy?

You can get your copy of Raptors of Mexico and Central America at your favorite bookstore. And you can join Zach Smith’s Veracruz River of Raptors Tour, 4–12 October 2017, or Bill Clark’s Panama Raptor Tour, 21–29 October 2017 (inquire by email), or both (!), and field-test your guide yourself while learning from the best. Join any of these tours and we’ll send you a free copy* before you leave home so you can get up to speed with your Mexican and Central American raptors beforehand!

Happy read, and happy hawk-watching to you!

*Offer valid only for customers in the Continental US.