Buffalo, NY - Hawks ID (1 Viewer)

[spresutti]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum and am hoping you can help me out. I had the opportunity to visit the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge near Buffalo, NY last week while on travel for work (I'm from Florida). I went to an overlook that viewed a marsh with many ducks/geese. As I moved closer I scared some of the closest birds away and noticed a type of hawk/falcon darting into the flock.

I got a few poor pictures of it, and was hoping for some help on the ID. Initially I thought it was only 1 bird, but from viewing the pictures I think there was two different species. Let me know what you think.

Thanks!
Stephen

 

[phil baber]

1= female type Merlin.
2 = Northern Harrier juvenile-type (Marsh Hawk.)

 

[KGS]

The first bird is a juvenile Peregine. The jizz with broad bases to the wings tells you this but an additional very concrete feature is the barred tail-coverts.

 

[rb_stern]

Agree with Peregrine - the bird is too hefty and wide-wing-based for a Merlin.

Richard

 

[njlarsen]

The first bird is a juvenile Peregine. The jizz with broad bases to the wings tells you this but an additional very concrete feature is the barred tail-coverts.

My first thought on opening the image was perigrine, but in all fairness, I can see barred tail feathers, not UTC.

Niels

 

[KGS]

My first thought on opening the image was perigrine, but in all fairness, I can see barred tail feathers, not UTC.

Niels

You may have to zoom in to see the barring well, but on this picture it is actually much easier to see the barring on the UTC than on the rectrices. To avoid misunderstandings I want to point to the fact that the three fairly obvious dark bars you see behind the claws are actually on the UTC as is the barring you see at the sides of the feet.

 

[chris butterworth]

The wings are far to wide at the base for Merlin and the tail looks to long for Peregrine. The head, on the other hand, looks a bit to small and protrubant for either. Accipter? Sharpshin?

Chris

 

[Tib78]

Juv Peregrine (and probable female at that). Not an Accipiter with such a wing shape...

 

[apbarr]

Peregrine was my first thought rather than Merlin. Agree that it's not an accipiter.

 

[njlarsen]

You may have to zoom in to see the barring well, but on this picture it is actually much easier to see the barring on the UTC than on the rectrices. To avoid misunderstandings I want to point to the fact that the three fairly obvious dark bars you see behind the claws are actually on the UTC as is the barring you see at the sides of the feet.

I studied another couple of peregrine photos, and the UTC was indeed more bulky than I remembered. Thanks

Niels

 

[The Falcon]

It's a Peregrine Falcon, def. not an accipiter.

 

[spresutti]

Wow, thanks everyone for your feedback. It appears my initial ID was wrong on both accounts, glad I asked. I agree with phil baber's ID of the second one as a Northern Harrier. It doesn't sound like anyone else disagrees either.

Can someone help me out by explaining what UTC stands for? Thanks!

 

[ceasar]

Undertail coverts: "Long, often rather fluffy, contour feathers attaching to the underside of the tail bone that cover the base of the undertail."