Buteo, SE Arizona, USA (1 Viewer)

[Mike Richardson]

Hi all

I saw this hawk in mid April in SE Arizona (not far from New Mexico border). I would appreciate any thoughts on the species. I have an idea what it is but understand such a bird would be rare in the area.

Many thanks.

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

I'd call it Swainson's!

 

[ceasar]

Agree with V. S.

For OP's information (and anyone else) Wheeler's range map shows them in the lower SE corner of Arizona and notes that breeding is "very localized in Arizona."

Bob

 

[DarkFireFalcon]

In mid April, they'd be migrating through, so not rare at all.

 

[Microtus]

Swainson's Hawk.

 

[Mike Richardson]

Many thanks all, much appreciated. It was a local checklist that stated they were rare in the area. A little research of my own mirrors what you guys are saying, i.e. They are not that rare, especially in April.

 

[njlarsen]

Try supplement with ebird. This link shows bar graphs for Arizona, averaged over 1900-2013: http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?repo...tLocations=states&continue.x=28&continue.y=10

you can customize with shorter year span, if you click change location you can limit to individual counties, and if you hit map you can see the distribution within the geographic area you are showing; once on the map you can limit to a specific month range.

Niels

 

[Mike Richardson]

Try supplement with ebird. This link shows bar graphs for Arizona, averaged over 1900-2013: http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?repo...tLocations=states&continue.x=28&continue.y=10

you can customize with shorter year span, if you click change location you can limit to individual counties, and if you hit map you can see the distribution within the geographic area you are showing; once on the map you can limit to a specific month range.

Niels

Thanks Niels. Very Useful.