ID Help (1 Viewer)

I'm not quite sure what this is. My 1st thought was either a light morph or juv. Swainson's.

As near as I could tell at the time there was no red rump so, I ruled out Red-tail

Thanks, Jim

Hi Jim

Due to how thin and multiple the horizontal stripes on the tail were plus the comparison of the tail and wings I was leaning towards a Red-tailed Hawk. when I looked in my sibley's it said, and I quote, "white spotted V on scapulars". That was the give away as far as I know.

I agree with Chicaddd. The 'V' on the scapulars seems to cinch the deal.

Also, what time of year the bird was seen is an important piece of information. I know that ANY report of a Swainson's Hawk in winter will arouse much interest (read: suspicion) in the US, even down here in Texas. Red-tails are quite variable, but they're the most likely raptor in winter in the southern half of the US, and probably in the northern half as well.

Steve in Houston

P.S. Some morphs of the Red-tail have a white rump or at least whitish uppertail coverts. There's a very good article on Red-tail races in the October, 2001 issue of "Birding" magazine (the organ of the American Birding Association).

Steve,

That certainly looks like a Red-tailed in many ways, I just have never seen one with so much white on the head (even a juvenile like this), or so much white on the tail. Suppose maybe it was a late hatcher which makes the white go away later?