[lvn600]

Is this a Cooper's Hawk?

[Daddylion]

It appears you're right. Don't bet much on my opinion, though, as someone will probably come along and say it's something else.

[MLoyko]

I believe you're right, and a juvenile also.

The carpal joints (wrists) would protrude farther than this bird's do and also the tail to me looks rounded at the edges suggesting Cooper's hawk!

-Matt

[MLoyko]

actually now I'm second guessing myself, the wings are broad yes, but the tail doesn't look long enough for an accipiter, I'm staying with my Coop's theory for now but...

Could it be a Juvie Red-Shouldered or am I right with juvenile cooper's hawk.

-Matt

[lvn600]

Don't the juvenile RS-Hawks still have those crescents under the wings?

[MLoyko]

Originally Posted by lvn600

Don't the juvenile RS-Hawks still have those crescents under the wings?

True, I'll stick with juv cooper's hawk

-Matt

[Microtus]

Why couldn't it be a Red-shouldered Hawk? It has what look like wing crescents and the tail looks short for a Cooper's and broad for either Sharp-shin or Cooper's.

[Tero]

It does look kind of chunky. Very well could be an immature something or other.

[MLoyko]

Originally Posted by Microtus

Why couldn't it be a Red-shouldered Hawk? It has what look like wing crescents and the tail looks short for a Cooper's and broad for either Sharp-shin or Cooper's.

You know, now after looking hard at the picture again the wing tips are kind of translucent, maybe it could be as I suggested earlier a juv RSH, but then again maybe not I don't know.

I changing my vote again to undecided!

-Matt

[lvn600]

Here's the same bird from a different angle.

[JANJ]

Hello Larry.

Do you have som more images? A Red-shouldered Hawk doe´s not have barred 'fingers', unless it´s an adult, which this bird isn´t. The shape of the wings, with bulgig secondaries, pinched in inner hand and narrow wing tipp looks more like an Accipiter.The pale crescent on the primaries looks different in a Red-shoukdered, it´s not a crescent in this bird.

Maybe the tail looks kind of short for an Accipiter, Cooper´s or Sharp-shinned, but that might be the angle, I said might be. If an Accipiter the square tail might suggest Sharp-shinned, a well fed one.
I like to see some more images before I can settle with the raptor.

JanJ

[JANJ]

Well - there you go Larry, now we are in Accipiter camp, and it looks more like a Cooper´s Hawk. Any maore Larry?

JanJ

[lvn600]

here's the last image I have. I didn't see any crescents when I was looking taking a photo of the bird.-I hadn't considered sharpie because it just seemed to big to me.-Of course my experience in identifying hawks in flight is limited or I wouldn't be asking in the first place.

[Microtus]

JanJ's #11 post enlightened me as to the identity of this bird. Then I saw the new picture...

[lvn600]

It's interesting how a photo taken from one angle can be misleading.-I've had the same trouble this year when trying to identify hawks when I see them flying from a distance.-I haven't had the good fortune of being out on a day when a lot of hawks were passing through so that I can get some practice.-It's nice when there's a definitive field mark like black wing border and tail band of a broad-wing or the windows are clearly showing on a red-shouldered but sometimes those types of marks just aren't visible.

-Thanks to all for the input on this thread.

[MLoyko]

Sorry if I missed it but what is the consensus? I thought the tail looked a little bit roundish but I don't want to make a call on this one, but curious if a definite answer was made?

-Matt

[Tero]

Accipiter hawk, maybe it just ate something.

[MLoyko]

Originally Posted by Tero

Accipiter hawk, maybe it just ate something.

Aha! So one of the accipters it is! We can rule out Goshawk

[lvn600]

I'm sticking with my original thought which is Cooper's.-It looked too big to be a sharpie.

[JANJ]

The broad tail, large head, streaking limited to upper and mid breast signals Cooper´s.

But see these:

Note the tail shape:

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/86760686

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/86760695

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/87276010

SSH:

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/70330737

Note the Cooper´s like breast streaking, althoughthe white tipps to the tail feathers looks Sharp-shinned like.

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/70330737

JanJ

[Jeff hopkins]

Based on the first photo I was thinking buteo, but if the second photo is indeed the same bird as the first (and they do look radically different), it's definitely a Cooper's hawk. Look how much the head is protruding beyond the wings. No sharpie looks like that.