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Fuertes Red-tailed Hawk, Arizona (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter zoutedrop
- Start date
It is possible. Perhaps likely.
Wheeler's range map for the "Fuertes" shows it's geographical limits to just north and west of Tuscon. See his RAPTORS of Western North America, p. 343. A photo of one at plate 352 in the book notes: "Dark tawny-brown head. White throat. Old adults have dark irises. White underparts may have some dark barring on flanks and streaks on belly, but can be unmarked. Scapulars (not shown) have small to moderate white or gray patches. Uniformly dark wing coverts. Wingtips reach to tail tip."
Out of 92 photo's of various Red-tailed Hawks in this book only 2 are identified as Fuertes and both have white bellys. He notes in comments on Plate 373 that "B. j. borealis (Eastern RTH) that lack belly markings are similar." A longer and more detailed comment on the Adult traits of the "Fuertes" is at page 321 with comments on it's similarity to light colored "Eastern" RTH's.
Do you have other pictures of this bird?
Bob
Wheeler's range map for the "Fuertes" shows it's geographical limits to just north and west of Tuscon. See his RAPTORS of Western North America, p. 343. A photo of one at plate 352 in the book notes: "Dark tawny-brown head. White throat. Old adults have dark irises. White underparts may have some dark barring on flanks and streaks on belly, but can be unmarked. Scapulars (not shown) have small to moderate white or gray patches. Uniformly dark wing coverts. Wingtips reach to tail tip."
Out of 92 photo's of various Red-tailed Hawks in this book only 2 are identified as Fuertes and both have white bellys. He notes in comments on Plate 373 that "B. j. borealis (Eastern RTH) that lack belly markings are similar." A longer and more detailed comment on the Adult traits of the "Fuertes" is at page 321 with comments on it's similarity to light colored "Eastern" RTH's.
Do you have other pictures of this bird?
Bob
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As a fall back position, I don't know what else it could be.There is a hint of the "belly band" showing in picture #2. Wheeler says at p. 337 under STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION that they are common and sedentary. "There are very few pure fuertesi in the depicted Arizona range. Most birds in this region are intergrades with calurus. (Western subspecies.) They are primarlily found at lower elevations, particularly where their range overlaps with calurus."
Here is a photo of one from the internet: http://www.wildbirdgallery.com/images/birds/buteo_jamaicensis/fuertesi.htm
If you saw the bird fly off did you notice any dark patagial bars along the front edge of it's underwings like the ones shown on the bird in the link?
Bob
Here is a photo of one from the internet: http://www.wildbirdgallery.com/images/birds/buteo_jamaicensis/fuertesi.htm
If you saw the bird fly off did you notice any dark patagial bars along the front edge of it's underwings like the ones shown on the bird in the link?
Bob
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