Whatbird.com

Greetings everyone for my first post!  Last Saturday, in western Indiana (at Hillenbrand FWA), I viewed an unknown raptor.  Four of us saw it; two were rather experienced birders, I'm a notch below, and then the fourth is a relative novice, but has a special interest in raptors.  The raptor was flying overhead, but oddly, it had next to know markings on the underside.  It appeared nearly completely white from the underneath.  Originally, one person claimed prairie falcon, which has been seen in the area, but upon further discussion, it was agreed that this was not the bird due to the white axillaries.  The tail appeared to be rather wedge shaped (as opposed to completely fanned out as may be expected with a soaring red tail).  Additionally, the bird had a sleeker appearance than would be expected of a fully adult red tail--the wings weren't quite as broad as would be expected.  The bird was viewed from inside a van, so poor initial views were had.  We piled out of the van, and I grabbed my camera and got four shots as it was flying away.  I had a 300 + 1.4X teleconverter on my 5D (not the best birding setup), and the bird was still quite small and backlit.  I've attempted to pull out any detail in the shadows that I could.

 After examination, I think that there are three possibilities, a juvenile, light red tail, a Krider's red tail, or what I'm really hoping for, a ferruginous hawk, but this would be exceedingly rare in western Indiana. I'll attach the photos that I have and would love if someone could hopefully provide some help, but the pictures are quite awful!

I'm adding photographs (apparently it must be done one at a time?).

Should also mention that the four of us did not get any jizz of a redtail when we first looked at the bird (actually none of us thought that when we were looking at it in person).

!final pic... I hope you guys can help! 

Its really hard to tell from these pictures. I am thinking redtail hawk. An immature redtail does not have a redtail. Its gets that after its first molt. A prairie falcon is much smaller and also has long pointed wings. A ferrug is a little bigger than a redtail.

We came to an agreement that it was not a prairie falcon--I think that become an idea due to the fact that there were a number reported in a neighboring area this winter.  The wings, when viewed from below, seemed to be sleeker and more pointed than a redtail.  Also, one birder commented that it was too big to be a redtail... who knows.  We didn't get great looks and the photos don't help much.

It gives me the impression of a Northern Harrier.

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2008 Yard List: 118
Recent: Hooded Warbler, Black-billed Cuckoo
Highlights: Hoary Redpoll, Golden Eagle, Fish Crow
2008 Year List: 181
Recent: Alder Flycatcher, Green Heron
Highlights: Cackling Goose, Black Vulture, Merlin

A Northern Harrier would have a white rump, and it does not appear to have that. I think it is most likely a red tailed hawk.

nimajneb3:

A Northern Harrier would have a white rump, and it does not appear to have that. I think it is most likely a red tailed hawk.

I am fully aware that Northern Harriers have white rumps but with the bad quality of the photos I am assuming that you can't see it (actually it does look like there could be some white in that area). It still gives me the flight impression of NH but I don't think it can be accurately IDed from these photos.

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2008 Yard List: 118
Recent: Hooded Warbler, Black-billed Cuckoo
Highlights: Hoary Redpoll, Golden Eagle, Fish Crow
2008 Year List: 181
Recent: Alder Flycatcher, Green Heron
Highlights: Cackling Goose, Black Vulture, Merlin

Hmmn good point cnybirder. sandersonrj do you remember how it was flying, like was it teetering, or did it display some pattern of flapping, etc. Northern Harriers are known to teeter and fly low among other things.

The bird was seen flying in more or less of a line.  It gave intermittent flapping, but it was not soaring at this point.  As it flew off in the distance, behind a stand of trees, it then began to soar.  Two people in our party saw it at this point.  The reasons that we basically narrowed this down to ferruginous and a very light juvenile redtail were that the bird was nearly completely white underneath, and secondly, take a look at the white wing patch seen through the primaries, and perhaps the beginning of the secondaries.  This characteristic is consistent with both of the above mentioned birds.  It is most likely a redtail as ferruginous hawks are not "supposed" to be found in Indiana.  There are very, very few records.  I'm just hoping.  One of the interesting things is that the four of us basically ruled out redtail because it was SO white underneath, and I specifically looked for some dark markings on the axillaries, which would be consistent with a redtail, and saw none.  Another possible option is a Krider's redtail, based on coloring.  The thing that threw us for a loops was that the wings just were not broad enough to be a redtail, or so we thought, though this could have something to do with the bird flying in a line, rather than soaring.  Additionally, in the Sibley Guide to Birds, everything I've mentioned has been consistent with a juvenile, light ferruginous--it's just that they're so extremely unlikely here in Indiana.