Raptor, Mexico-City, February 2023 (2 Viewers)

[Bitis]

Hello,

I saw this raptor on February 1st 2023, flying over Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico-City. White vent area, darkish underside and silhouette makes me think Harris Hawk?

Thanks in advance!

 

[AveryBartels]

Agreed with Harris's Hawk

 

[Bitis]

Agreed with Harris's Hawk

Thank you very much!

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

I agree, a common species in the "Distrito Federal". I did a video (in French) about the urban birds there, and at the end you can see Harris's Hawk. I found a pair with a nest and juvenile recently fledged.

 

[Andy Adcock]

I agree, a common species in the "Distrito Federal". I did a video (in French) about the urban birds there, and at the end you can see Harris's Hawk. I found a pair with a nest and juvenile recently fledged.

I've always called this 'Harris' Hawk, suddenly, it seems in vogue to call it 'Harris's'?

 

[Jos Stratford]

I've always called this 'Harris' Hawk, suddenly, it seems in vogue to call it 'Harris's'?

Grammatically, it has to be Harris's, as it was named in honour of Edward Harris. The apostrophe is only after the -s in cases of plurals, eg my cats' bed (whereby I have two cats)

 

[Andy Adcock]

Grammatically, it has to be Harris's, as it was named in honour of Edward Harris. The apostrophe is only after the -s in cases of plurals, eg my cats' bed (whereby I have two cats)

I know this but as I said, the use of the apostrophe seems recent to me?

 

[D Halas]

I know this but as I said, the use of the apostrophe seems recent to me?

On the AOU Checklist it's been Harris's Hawk since 1998:

Ornithology -- AOU Checklists (2)

 

[Andy Adcock]

On the AOU Checklist it's been Harris's Hawk since 1998:

Ornithology -- AOU Checklists (2)

Must be on this side then, I'd never heard the apostrosised version until fairly recently.

 

[Bitis]

I agree, a common species in the "Distrito Federal". I did a video (in French) about the urban birds there, and at the end you can see Harris's Hawk. I found a pair with a nest and juvenile recently fledged.

Thank you! Interesting video, I understand and speak a little French.

 

[Butty]

Must be on this side then, I'd never heard the apostrosised version until fairly recently.

Must be the circles you move in... I've been apostrophising it (Harris's) 'on this side' at least as long as I've had to type it - 20+ years.

it was named in honour of Edward Harris. The apostrophe is only after the -s in cases of plurals

There's more to it than this, with words that end in S - and it also depends on one's adopted editorial style - but let's not dwell
The (former?) N Am norm was, as Andy says, 'Harris hawk' (no apostrophe, no S) - I've no idea why. Now N Americans just have to stop putting a capital after a hyphen in bird names and I might even be happy...

 

[Sangahyando]

[...]
The (former?) N Am norm was, as Andy says, 'Harris hawk' (no apostrophe, no S) - I've no idea why. Now N Americans just have to stop putting a capital after a hyphen in bird names and I might even be happy...

I suspect it has to do with the popularity of this species in falconry and popular culture in general. The official spelling is kind of a bother.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

I know this but as I said, the use of the apostrophe seems recent to me?

I was taught that if it was the possessive of a proper name that ends in s, you wrote s', not s's. And given my last name, it's something I was always aware of.

So one more for your way.

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Thank you! Interesting video, I understand and speak a little French.

Glad you enjoyed !