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Is this a juvenile red-tailed hawk? (1 Viewer)

catte

catte

Active member
This is the first hawk I've seen up close and personal. Much to my surprise and delight, it landed on the top of my birdfeeder last October. No one seemed to pay much attention to it. As you can see, there was a squirrel on top of a bird house in back of it and, at one point, there were birds and squirrels directly underneath it. It made no move to attack. We saw it a few times after that but not recently. It was magnificent! We named it "Sienna". I always thought it was a red-tailed hawk but now that I've found this website, I thought I'd share the picture (one of many) and check with everyone here for verification.

Thanks in advance!
~ catte
 

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The tail looks like it is reddish with dark banding and the bird has a streaky, light chest which would mean it is a juvenile red-tailed. At least I think so.
 
catte said:
This is the first hawk I've seen up close and personal. Much to my surprise and delight, it landed on the top of my birdfeeder last October. No one seemed to pay much attention to it. As you can see, there was a squirrel on top of a bird house in back of it and, at one point, there were birds and squirrels directly underneath it. It made no move to attack. We saw it a few times after that but not recently. It was magnificent! We named it "Sienna". I always thought it was a red-tailed hawk but now that I've found this website, I thought I'd share the picture (one of many) and check with everyone here for verification.

Thanks in advance!
~ catte
Click to expand...

Wow thats a great picture! that squirrel looks to be in some big trouble.
 
Hi Catte!
Yes, it´s a juvenile, but not a Red-tailed. I belive that your bird is a Red-shouldered Hawk. It has a light iris and a dark tail with narrow brownish bars (which makes it a juvenile)The tail bars on a juvenile Red-tailed would look like this:http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/data/525/18526JRTH.jpg, almost of equal width. Also note that the RTH has larger whitish marked scapulars (whitish marks can be bigger than this though), which RSH doesn´t match. Those narrow pale lines on the greater coverts is also typical of juv.RSH. Being in the east, a juv RTH would have a pale throat:http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/data/525/2309ferruginousposing.jpg
Her is a juv RSH:http://www.bafrenz.com/birds/RSHaPatton2.htm
JanJ

Edit: Also have a look at this RSH:http://www.hbmo.org/e3.php?action=d...nding/&f=RSHA_HY_U_6575.JPG&h=480&w=640&mode=
 
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I think I might have to agree with JanJ. The tail feathers that are barred, and there is a small amount of red starting to show on the shoulder. Also the size in comparison with the feeder points me toward a red shouldered
 
What about Red Kites?

JANJ said:
Catte,
just for the interest, you might want to look at this site, also because raptors are such nice birds.
http://www.jimzipp.com/hawks.htm
JanJ
Click to expand...

Have you read the thread on our Northern Red Kites Project ?
Why don't you come over and see them for yourself?

Earlier in the year we had a group of Dutch birdwatchers, who had a great time, and are hoping to come again in September. Safaris can be laid on for you. As you will see, we have just completed the release of this year's 41 young kites, which originally come from the Chiltern Kite project in the south of the UK.

Red Kites are so impressive and all our youngsters are raring to go! :clap:
 
Thanks to all who responded. I have printed the pictures you recommended I look at and am going to compare them side by side to print-outs of the pictures I took of the hawk in my yard. Based on your observations, I think I must have a red-shouldered hawk rather than a red-tailed. Thanks again, I really appreciate your taking the time to I.D. it for me!

~ catte
 
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