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California Unknown Hawk Help Please (1 Viewer)

catmadden

SquirrelFreak
Seen at Henry Cowell State Park, Felton, CA up high in tree. I know the photo is poor quality but please, you guys rock at poor quality photo ids!
Thank you in advance!
As inside info always helps: I snap the pic but my husband saw it flying and landing. He says it was small, maybe 12 - 13 inches and flew like an accipitor? He thought maybe Coopers.
 
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Hmmm..

I'm thinking red tail but not sure maybe this could help.
 

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I don't think it's a red-tail because the belly band is missing.
I'm guessing it's a sub-adult Swainson's Hawk. Let's see what others say.
 
Sure seems like an Accipter, and Cooper's fits better (tail, legs from what we can see, size, proportions, etc).
 
I guess I eliminated accipters right out of the gate thinking the tail was not long enough. The shot was taken from below so that distorts length. As Coopers hawks go this looks nothing like the Immature Coops that has been hunting at my feeders every morning. As we all know hawks can vary greatly in plume.
 
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