What type of hawk do you believe this is? (1 Viewer)

What type of hawk? Rexburg, ID -- US

location: Rexburg, ID -- US

They had 4 babies this year, mother and dad stayed around for a long time, hunting and bringing back food. Now about 3 weeks ago, the young left the nest for the first time, and are learning to hunt. The hay field is freshly cut, so the mice are easy to spot, so they are all lined up on the end of the field. We can watch them for hours, diving into the field and eating.

Can you identify this hawk? It is a juvenile, it let me come within 3-4 feet of it while taking pictures. Its mother showed up overhead and started swooping and screaming -- probably a "GET AWAY FROM THE PREDATOR THAT IS ABOUT TO GET YOU!"

http://www.freesteader.com/forums/index.php?autocom=blog&blogid=2&showentry=55

Here is a link to my blog posting that has some pictures. Originals are 10MP resolution, and a couple of them turned out REALLY good. What kind of hawk is this?

That's a juvenile Swainson's Hawk. The light underwing coverts and contrasting dark flight feathers are a good character to look for, as are the broad "whiskers". The wings should be as long as the tail at rest (hard to see with these nice photos).
Andy

More pictures

a few more...

I agree with Kratter. It's a Swainson's Hawk. You can get a good look at the relative lengths of the Wings to the Tail in picture #2 in thread #3. And picture #3 in thread #4.
Bob

Check some juveniles and adults here: Bevare though of the 3 last images, wich are not Swainson´s but Red-taield Hawk. Could they be Harlan´s?

http://www.pbase.com/decor/swainson_hawk

JanJ

Hi JanJ,
I agree the last 3 pictures are of a Red-tail. Along with the back pattern it also has a light iris. Swainson's are darker. I think it is probably a juvenile "Western" calurus rather than a Harlan's. The photographers location is just north of Edmonton, Alberta. Wheeler's range maps do not show any Harlan's Hawks in Alberta. Although a juvenile "Eastern" borealis is also a remote possibility as this is the most extreme point of it's northwestern range.
Cordially,
Bob

Okey Bob. And perhaps not blackish enough.

JanJ