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Hawk - Northeast Illinois (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter RJP
- Start date
RJP
Well-known member
Although the area is clearly in breeding range, Broad-wingeds are uncommon around here outside of migration. Not impossible, but we consider it a pretty big deal when we see one June - August.
RJP
Well-known member
Understood, but if RTH was expecting to see dark patagial marks at least on the first pic, and they don't seem to be present.
I wish the pictures were bigger. It is hard to rule out a RTH from them. The patagial marks can be hard to see on darker morph RTHs.
Both the Eastern RTH, borealis, and the Western RTH, calurus, are found in Illinois and Indiana according to the field maps in Wheeler's "Raptors of Eastern North America" and the Western RTH has a number of darker morphs.
Bob
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birdmeister
Well-known member
I'm not getting any sort of a Red-tailed Hawk feel from this bird.
Surely it's not Red-shouldered, leaving Broad-winged as the only other option.
Hopefully others will comment as well.
Surely it's not Red-shouldered, leaving Broad-winged as the only other option.
Hopefully others will comment as well.
After another review of a photo in Wheeler's Eastern Edition; it looks like it could very well be a Broad-wing. See the 2nd picture here in where the bird shows a black band along the base of its wings and windows on the primaries.
Broad-wings have a black band on the edge of the under wing coverts. Also Wheeler comments about a picture of a juvenile Broad-Wing at Plate #239 (Eastern Edition) that "Rectangular window may show on primaries."
Bob
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RJP
Well-known member
To be honest my first gut reaction was Broad-winged, but I suppressed it because of the paucity of local birds. However, looking at my older Wheeler & Clark photographic guide, I see a pic of a Broad-winged gliding that has a virtually identical shape and wing set (happens to be a dark morph, but that's irrelevant). And a backlit bird that shows the square panels. So this sounds promising.
Appreciate the help so far, and other thoughts still welcome.
Appreciate the help so far, and other thoughts still welcome.
