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zoutedrop · Monday 22nd February 2010, 01:48

Poor shots but enough for an ID I hope. Please validate a Ferruginous Hawk, Common Goldeneye, Dark Morph Red-tailed Hawk. Great birding day!

birdboybowley · Monday 22nd February 2010, 01:56

Validated!

james holdsworth · Monday 22nd February 2010, 01:57

Agree 1 and 2.......3rd bird seems to have a white tail, dark-morph Ferruginous?

zoutedrop · Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:03

On the dark morph I was using the tail length vs wing, based solely on the field guide.

Photgog · Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:10

Strange... I was out birding today as well and took this bird too.

A slightly different angle on the same bird. If this picture helps in the identification.

Fraser

zoutedrop · Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:12

Nice shot Fraser, did you get a better flight shot of the dark morph than this?

LabradorDuck · Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:14

I would agree, though I'm uncertain on the Ferruginous Hawk (I don't have experience with this species). I had to look very closely to find anything to distinguish Common from Barrow's Goldeneye, but in the end I used the amound of yellow on the bill. After looking through the possibilities for these, I can see why you wanted them validated.

LabradorDuck · Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:17

After seeing that last pic, the legs look like they are feathered pretty far down, which would suggest either Ferruginous or Rough-legged. Anyone know how far down the feathers on a Red-tailed would appear to go in a shot like this?

Chris Benesh · Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:39

Hi All,

I think the apparent whitish tail on the third bird is illusionary (it looks red on my monitor at least). The coloration and structure of this bird is right on for a rufous (intermediate dark) morph Red-tailed Hawk. Notice that the bill is relatively small (compared with Ferruginous Hawk) and lacks the enormous wide gape of that species.

Chris

zoutedrop · Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:46

Can you give a short primer on the difference between a rufous and a dark morph? Either one is new to me.

james holdsworth · Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Benesh

Hi All,

I think the apparent whitish tail on the third bird is illusionary (it looks red on my monitor at least). The coloration and structure of this bird is right on for a rufous (intermediate dark) morph Red-tailed Hawk. Notice that the bill is relatively small (compared with Ferruginous Hawk) and lacks the enormous wide gape of that species.

Chris

Agree now, certainly the 2nd pic. clearly shows a bill too small for FEHA.

Microtus · Monday 22nd February 2010, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoutedrop

Can you give a short primer on the difference between a rufous and a dark morph? Either one is new to me.

This should help a little. I'm sure there is more detailed information on the web. This book has an enormous amount of information about hawk plumages.

Monday 22nd February 2010, 01:48	#1
zoutedrop zoutedrop Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chandler, AZ USA Posts: 254	Arizona Life birds caught today Poor shots but enough for an ID I hope. Please validate a Ferruginous Hawk, Common Goldeneye, Dark Morph Red-tailed Hawk. Great birding day! Attached Thumbnails

Monday 22nd February 2010, 01:56	#2
birdboybowley Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: W Sussex, England Posts: 6,217 My location	Validated! __________________ "...Bureaucracy is a parasite that preys on free thought and suffocates free spirit..." Douglas Adams www.adambowleyart.com

Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:10	#5
Photgog Rufous-Female Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Mesa, Arizona Posts: 232	Strange... I was out birding today as well and took this bird too. A slightly different angle on the same bird. If this picture helps in the identification. Fraser Attached Thumbnails

Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:12	#6
zoutedrop zoutedrop Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chandler, AZ USA Posts: 254	Nice shot Fraser, did you get a better flight shot of the dark morph than this? Attached Thumbnails

Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:39	#9
Chris Benesh So much work, so little time...so let's go birding! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 1,553 Blog Entries: 6 My location	Hi All, I think the apparent whitish tail on the third bird is illusionary (it looks red on my monitor at least). The coloration and structure of this bird is right on for a rufous (intermediate dark) morph Red-tailed Hawk. Notice that the bill is relatively small (compared with Ferruginous Hawk) and lacks the enormous wide gape of that species. Chris __________________ "Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open." James Dewar visit my blog visit my website
	Click here to Support BirdForum

Monday 22nd February 2010, 01:57	#3
james holdsworth Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: ontario Posts: 1,518	Agree 1 and 2.......3rd bird seems to have a white tail, dark-morph Ferruginous?

Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:03	#4
zoutedrop zoutedrop Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chandler, AZ USA Posts: 254	On the dark morph I was using the tail length vs wing, based solely on the field guide.

Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:14	#7
LabradorDuck Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Nebraska Posts: 325	I would agree, though I'm uncertain on the Ferruginous Hawk (I don't have experience with this species). I had to look very closely to find anything to distinguish Common from Barrow's Goldeneye, but in the end I used the amound of yellow on the bill. After looking through the possibilities for these, I can see why you wanted them validated.

Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:17	#8
LabradorDuck Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Nebraska Posts: 325	After seeing that last pic, the legs look like they are feathered pretty far down, which would suggest either Ferruginous or Rough-legged. Anyone know how far down the feathers on a Red-tailed would appear to go in a shot like this?

Monday 22nd February 2010, 02:46	#10
zoutedrop zoutedrop Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chandler, AZ USA Posts: 254	Can you give a short primer on the difference between a rufous and a dark morph? Either one is new to me.

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