Help Me Identify a Bird

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

Scsh — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:58:43 GMT

We've seen this one many times on the same spot, just as we drive from the on ramp on the highway.

Thus the crappy pictures, highway traffic doesn't understand birders need to take a picture!

It usually sits on one of the streetlights.

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

Bill-4 — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:14:05 GMT

Red-tailed Hawks are common in Colorado and are seen on many birding trips. Although they prefer open areas, we see them from the mountains to the prairie. They develop the reddish color in their tail on the second year.

Bill, Denver

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

Scsh — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:31:55 GMT

Thanks MJ3151. I didn't think a new thread is needed, but I will do that.

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

RJP — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:35:59 GMT

mj3151:
I believe that's a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk. The skinny legs and thick breast striping say Sharp-shinned rather than Coopers to me, but you may get other opinions.

I agree. BTW, to Scsh, please start new threads when new pics are posted for ID. It can get confusing otherwise. Thank you.

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

mj3151 — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:34:38 GMT

Scsh:

This hawk was diving into a flock of American Robins in my backyard and then flew up in the tree.

Maybe a female juvenile Red-tailed Hawk?

I believe that's a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk. The skinny legs and thick breast striping say Sharp-shinned rather than Coopers to me, but you may get other opinions. It's not a Red-tailed, for sure.

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

Scsh — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:43:45 GMT

This hawk was diving into a flock of American Robins in my backyard and then flew up in the tree.

Maybe a female juvenile Red-tailed Hawk?

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

dukw_butter — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:19:27 GMT

Here's a slightly different version of the same shot. I cropped it and lightened the shadows in Photoshop to show the detail better. Incidentally, I shot this photo with a Canon EOS 50D and a Canon L-Series 100-400mm IS USM telescopic zoom lens. Shutter = 1/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO = 320.

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

Cavan Wood — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:42:37 GMT

Those of us from the east will appreciate the light colour tails with banding in these western birds. Those from the northeast have darker, unbanded tails.

Scott

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

Photgog — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:35:59 GMT

Nice Photo... it made me go back and revisit one of mine... You can see why.

Fraser

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

RJP — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:04:35 GMT

Terry:
It's a Red-tailed Hawk. You don't always get a good look at the cinnamon tail coloring like in this pic, but RTHs will almost always show that dark band across the chest and it is pretty diagnostic (about the only consistent field mark available to birders like me that are still struggling with Buteos).

Terry, an excellent mark for soaring Red-taileds are the dark patagial marks - on the leading edge of the wing, near the body of the bird. Granted, these may not be as obvious as a red tail or a good dark belly band, but many eastern birds show hardly any belly band, and immatures don't have the red tail. The only hitch is dark morph western birds or Harlan's ...

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

BirdBrainy — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:43:13 GMT

Good shot! I don't care how common they are, I still like looking at them!

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

Terry — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:40:57 GMT

It's a Red-tailed Hawk. You don't always get a good look at the cinnamon tail coloring like in this pic, but RTHs will almost always show that dark band across the chest and it is pretty diagnostic (about the only consistent field mark available to birders like me that are still struggling with Buteos).

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

dukw_butter — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:50:39 GMT

Woohoo! Thanks.

Re: Red-tailed Hawk?

Raptor — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:07:38 GMT

Red-tail it is!

Red-tailed Hawk?

dukw_butter — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:14:02 GMT

I shot this photo of a raptor flying near my house today in the foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. I think it's a Red-tailed hawk. Is this right?