Dark morph Red-tailed Hawk ? (1 Viewer)

Fulmar · Mar 1, 2004

Would you agree that this is an immature dark morph Red-tailed Hawk ?

The photo was made February 7 along the Upper Newport Bay (aka Back Bay) in Newport Beach, Orange County, California. The bird is swooping down on a mouse from its perch. There is some orangy hue in the picture as it was made at 1700h (and at 1800h it was dark).

Peter

Katy Penland · Mar 1, 2004

Fulmar said:
Would you agree that this is an immature dark morph Red-tailed Hawk ?

The photo was made February 7 along the Upper Newport Bay (aka Back Bay) in Newport Beach, Orange County, California. The bird is swooping down on a mouse from its perch. There is some orangy hue in the picture as it was made at 1700h (and at 1800h it was dark).

Peter

Sure looks like it to me, with that dark patagial mark.

Grousemore · Mar 2, 2004

Too tough for me,Peter..the tail banding particularly.
I'm good at Red Shouldered's,but don't see that many Red-Tails in Florida.Great pic though!

Katy Penland · Mar 2, 2004

Grousemore said:
Too tough for me,Peter..the tail banding particularly.
I'm good at Red Shouldered's,but don't see that many Red-Tails in Florida.Great pic though!

Y'know, that tail banding threw me at first, too, but since what I think we're seeing here is the underside of the tail, and if this is a more mature juvenile, the lack of banding would be right as the "red" part of the tail isn't as obvious from the underside as it is from the top (and it isn't banded in full adults). But the dark patagial on the leading edge of the wing is almost exclusively diagnostic of red-tails (except for a very few exceptions).

However, raptor expert I'm not, so I hope someone else jumps in here with more experience of juvies. This, BTW, is about the hardest sp of raptor to ID (IMH experience) because of all the numerous morphs and "types."

And, yes, great action shot!

Strix · Mar 2, 2004

Fulmar said:
Would you agree that this is an immature dark morph Red-tailed Hawk ?

Yep, I don't see dark morphs too often myself, but I'd say this looks good for an imm dark morph RT.

Grousemore · Mar 2, 2004

Katy Penland said:
However, raptor expert I'm not, so I hope someone else jumps in here with more experience of juvies. This, BTW, is about the hardest sp of raptor to ID (IMH experience) because of all the numerous morphs and "types."

And, yes, great action shot!

I agree Katy.I've been looking at a website (Buteo.com)and am none the wiser on Peter's bird.
Here's the link: http://www.buteo.com/redtail.html#

Katy Penland · Mar 2, 2004

Grousemore said:
I agree Katy.I've been looking at a website (Buteo.com)and am none the wiser on Peter's bird.
Here's the link: http://www.buteo.com/redtail.html#

Nice site that is! I'm gonna go spend some time there, check it out. Thank you!

Even my "North American Raptors" book didn't have a shot of a red-tail that was similar to Peter's, and it's the "bible" we US birders use for raptor ID. Goes to show how variable this sp can be. In fact, a state birds committee one time had a bird ID quiz that turned out to be a juvie red-tail, but you can't believe the dozens of different guesses they got for input!

(I'm still jazzed about the red kite I saw when in Aberystwyth last June. Didn't see many raptors on my trip but *that* was very special.)

Fulmar · Mar 2, 2004

I came to my provisional identification mainly by elimination. In the end the only one remaining was the Red-tailed Hawk. Especially when looking at the wing only, I think the only choice could be Red-tailed, as the pattern was right, and especially the diagnostic dark patagial (new word for me!) marks. But then the tail markings puzzled me, as I could find no documentation of a Red-tailed with such a plain tail. Only the Sibley's has a dark juvenile with light banding on the tail and no broad endband, but still heavier than on "my" bird. However, under close scrutiny, very faint banding can be seen, I have attached a lightened close-up of the tail where you can see this (Katy, the tail is indeed the underside).

Peter

TMFF · Jan 23, 2013

Wow! What an old thread I am responding to! I wanted to add that the bland greyish tail and dark overll morph look like a Harlan's red-tailed hawk.

ceasar · Jan 23, 2013

Yes, it is an old thread but to answer your question it is not likely a "Harlans" in this location in Orange County, CA. Wheeler's range maps do not show them this far south of California's Central Valley in the winter. And they are not common in California overall.

The "Western" Red-tailed Hawk B. j. calurus is very common throughout California year round and there are varieties of "Dark Morph" variants of it. (Such as dark intermediate or dark rufous; intermediate or rufous.) There are many pictures of them in Wheelers RAPTORS of Western North America if you can find a copy of it. It has 82 photographs of 6 different sub-species of Red-tailed Hawks in it. It has quite a number of photographs of both "Harlans" and "Western" RTHs. More than 30 total.

Bob

PS: I notice this is your 1st post and so "Welcome to Bird Forum!":t:

Fulmar · Jan 23, 2013

New replies after nine years! Wow! Thanks for the renewed interest.

Peter

Dark morph Red-tailed Hawk ? (1 Viewer)

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