Hawk in Reno Nevada (1 Viewer)

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Granville Leong

Well-known member

• Dec 11, 2012

• #1

Hi Folks,

Just want to confirm that this big boy is a Red-tailed Hawk. I was in an urban park in Reno. This guy flew in and landed on a tree just 10 yards in front of me. If my guess is correct, I thought smaller birds are afraid of him and would stay clear of him. I'm very surprised that a woodworker of some sort stayed in that tree for a few minutes before he flew away. Any idea why and is that a woodpecker?

Thanks--

Granville

 

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KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Dec 11, 2012

• #2

I think it is a Red-tailed Hawk and your other bird is a Flicker.

 

The Falcon

Registered Birder

• Dec 11, 2012

• #3

Agree.

 

G

Granville Leong

Well-known member

• Dec 11, 2012

• #4

Thanks.

Granville

 

D

DarkFireFalcon

Well-known member

• Dec 12, 2012

• #5

And in answer to your other question, Red-tailed Hawks aren't very good at catching birds, tending to go more for mammals, so the flicker probably just wasn't in any danger. Smaller birds will also often harass hawks and alert other birds to the danger, trying to get the hawk to leave the area.

 

Maruni

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2012

• #6

By the looks of it probably a big girl and not a little dude.

 

F

fugl

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2012

• #7

Maruni said:

By the looks of it probably a big girl and not a little dude.

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Why do you say that?

 

S

stevethehydra

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2012

• #8

Its chunky build, most likely - females of most raptors are bigger and more robust than the males (though Buteos have less of a difference than, say, Accipiters). I think this buteo has its feathers fluffed up making it look chunkier than it is, though...

 

F

fugl

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2012

• #9

stevethehydra said:

Its chunky build, most likely - females of most raptors are bigger and more robust than the males (though Buteos have less of a difference than, say, Accipiters). I think this buteo has its feathers fluffed up making it look chunkier than it is, though...

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Indeed, but it's seldom possible to sex a buteo--certainly not a Red-tail--by looking at a photograph not containing a bird of the opposite sex for comparison. And that is most definitely the case with the fluffed-up hawk in the present photo.

 

B

Brink

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2012

• #10

fugl said:

Indeed, but it's seldom possible to sex a buteo--certainly not a Red-tail--by looking at a photograph not containing a bird of the opposite sex for comparison. And that is most definitely the case with the fluffed-up hawk in the present photo.

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I find that the size difference between sexes of Red-tailed Hawks is quite pronounced, making the determination very possible.

 

F

fugl

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2012

• #11

Brink said:

I find that the size difference between sexes of Red-tailed Hawks is quite pronounced, making the determination very possible.

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You are unusual in that. In the scores if not hundreds of posts on Red-tailed Hawks in the ID forum, I don't remember ever seeing an attempt at sex determination by any of the contributors. I personally can't even reliably tell the sexes of Great Horned Owls apart unless the mate's there for comparison. I can guess at it, sure, but I normally don't even attempt that with Red-tails.

 

Last edited: Dec 21, 2012

C

ceasar

Well-known member

• Dec 22, 2012

• #12

Brink said:

I find that the size difference between sexes of Red-tailed Hawks is quite pronounced, making the determination very possible.

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There is a mated pair that has established a hunting territory around my area for over a year. I have seen them flying together many times in the spring and I learned to tell them apart because the smaller male is darker with a prominent belly band and the larger female is a classic light colored Eastern Red-tail. I now can tell which is which when I see it separately but I would never attempt to call the sex of any Red-tailed Hawk that I see elsewhere.

Bob

 

Last edited: Dec 22, 2012