Santa Cruz, California Raptor help needed. (1 Viewer)

[vbnut]

I took these two photos of this raptor shortly before noon on 2023 June 13 along West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, California. iNaturalist tells me its a Swainson's Hawk, but I'm a bit skeptical. I'd be grateful for any help with a definitive ID.

 

[MelospizaMelodiaFan]

I took these two photos of this raptor shortly before noon on 2023 June 13 along West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, California. iNaturalist tells me its a Swainson's Hawk, but I'm a bit skeptical. I'd be grateful for any help with a definitive ID.

This is a tough one. My thought was red tailed hawk, but it's easier to tell them apart from Swainson's in flight. Not definitive from me, sorry.

 

[rkj]

Red-tailed Hawk: note the plain reddish tail with no hint of a dark band at the end. I think any Swainson's Hawk as pale as this would have a plain white throat with at least a partial dark border.

 

[Butty]

Did you get any photos in flight, however bad, especially any showing the underwing?

 

[Elkhornsun]

Chest is dark for a Swainson's hawk and the red shouldered and red tailed hawks are common year round in the area. The Marlin Sound ID phone app is great for identifying the cry of the hawks - also for shorebirds and terns and gulls.

 

[vbnut]

Did you get any photos in flight, however bad, especially any showing the underwing?

This is the closest I've got to an in-flight photo. Not sure if it helps.

I do see red-tailed hawks around here frequently, but I wasn't thinking in that direction because I don't see the belly band.

 

[MelospizaMelodiaFan]

This is the closest I've got to an in-flight photo. Not sure if it helps.

I do see red-tailed hawks around here frequently, but I was thinking in that direction because i don't see the belly band.

Yeah, the dark bar on the leading edge of the underwing is a definitive sign of red-tailed hawk. Pretty clear in this photo. I also see a faint belly band from this angle.

 

[KC Foggin]

I don't see R-T Hawk in this image.

 

[lockbreeze926]

Looks like a Red-tail, albeit quite funkily marked/colored. As noted above, the dark patagial bars are visible in the third shot.

 

[vbnut]

I don't see R-T Hawk in this image.

KC, do you have an alternative suggestion?

 

[Indobirder]

Looks like a typical Red-tailed to me, just lacking the belly band, but they are extremely variable