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Hawk in North Dallas Texas (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Scrogdog
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Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Yes, but a sad situation - likely stunned after hitting a large plate glass window, and could be injured internally. A Swainson's wouldn't normally be sitting on a town street.
Scrogdog
Well-known member
Thought the same thing. From what my niece told me, there is a nest sitting on a high line tower adjacent to her office. This is a young fledgling that apparently fell or flew out of the nest. She says there are others in the nest. Havent asked her if it's still there or was able to fly off.
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Too early to be a 2017 fledgeling of any hawk, I think - their young take quite a long time to develop and fledge, and I think even in 'subtropical' Texas wouldn't be fledging before June (where I am, Buteo young fledge in late July or August).
Looked again at the pics though, and I don't think it is Swainson's, I'd say an immature pale morph Red-tailed Hawk, probably a last year's fledgeling (hatched 2016). The plumage pattern of streaks on the lower flanks fits that much better. But it's a long time since I saw any of these, so wait and see what others say.
Looked again at the pics though, and I don't think it is Swainson's, I'd say an immature pale morph Red-tailed Hawk, probably a last year's fledgeling (hatched 2016). The plumage pattern of streaks on the lower flanks fits that much better. But it's a long time since I saw any of these, so wait and see what others say.
I agree that it is not a fledgling.
I don't think it is a Red-tailed Hawk. Look how long its left wing is. The left wing tip is bent by the hard carpeting. And its under-tail is pure white. A perched Red-tailed Hawk's wing length is shorter than its tail and a perched Swainson's wing tips are longer than its tail.
Also there is no coherent patterning on its belly that could be described as a "belly band." Even the south Texas, B. j. fuertesi, Fuertes Red-tailed Hawks with their very sparse abdominal markings show a distinct "belly band."
Bob
I don't think it is a Red-tailed Hawk. Look how long its left wing is. The left wing tip is bent by the hard carpeting. And its under-tail is pure white. A perched Red-tailed Hawk's wing length is shorter than its tail and a perched Swainson's wing tips are longer than its tail.
Also there is no coherent patterning on its belly that could be described as a "belly band." Even the south Texas, B. j. fuertesi, Fuertes Red-tailed Hawks with their very sparse abdominal markings show a distinct "belly band."
Bob
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Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Thanks; I'm not sure on all those points, though - I've done a blow-up of the pic (below) with left wing primary tips highlighted green, and the one tail feather visible (barred, with whitish tip) highlighted red, and the tail is longer. Additionally, if stunned or injured, the bird may well have its wings hanging lower than normal. The dark spots on the feathers across the belly are what I saw as a "belly band", while conversely, I'm not seeing any dark upper chest band as [most?] Swainson's would show.
For a somewhat similar (though less orangey-breasted) bird, see e.g. this link (Red-tail, Illinois).
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birdmeister
Well-known member
I seem to be getting more of a Red-tailed impression, too.
Little SuperBirder
Addicted to Birds
Agree with Red-tailed.
Also, side-note -- a Red-tailed Hawk pair near my house fledged their two chicks about two weeks ago but I'm in San Diego county so about as far south as you can get. The San Diego County Bird Atlas notes fledglings as early as early April, with the earliest breeding (and thus fledglings) occurring in particularly wet years (this was our first good year of rain in 6+ years).
Look at the left talons of the bird in the thumbnail picture in the above post #9. (Not the picture of the Illinois Red-tailed Hawk.)
Does it look like there is a ring around the bird's left "ankle?"
Bob
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Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
No, that's just a fold in the skin :t:
You know, I just remembered that I have a book on the Red-tailed Hawk written by Charles R. Preston. It is one of the "Wild Bird Guides" published by Stackpole Books. Printed in 2000: ISBN 978-08117-2914-7. 103pp.
I dug it up and went to the chapter on "Hatching and Fledging" at pp 40 through 56 which is illustrated with 23 excellent photographs!
Wouldn't you know it? The bird we are discussing herein seems to be a recently fledged Red-tailed Hawk as shown by pictures on pages 45 and 46 of this book. 2 of the 3 fledglings pictured have orange colored bibs like the bird pictured here and they also sport similar spotting on their abdomens.
There is a picture of one flying with a full crop (p. 54) which is located under the orange bib.
No mention is made of the orange color that I could find so it must not be unusual in RTHs. There are about 90 photographs in the book and at page 65 there is a photo of a mature RTH with an overall dark head that has this orange coloration over its crop.
So it looks like this bird is indeed a Red-tailed Hawk.
Bob
I dug it up and went to the chapter on "Hatching and Fledging" at pp 40 through 56 which is illustrated with 23 excellent photographs!
Wouldn't you know it? The bird we are discussing herein seems to be a recently fledged Red-tailed Hawk as shown by pictures on pages 45 and 46 of this book. 2 of the 3 fledglings pictured have orange colored bibs like the bird pictured here and they also sport similar spotting on their abdomens.
There is a picture of one flying with a full crop (p. 54) which is located under the orange bib.
No mention is made of the orange color that I could find so it must not be unusual in RTHs. There are about 90 photographs in the book and at page 65 there is a photo of a mature RTH with an overall dark head that has this orange coloration over its crop.
So it looks like this bird is indeed a Red-tailed Hawk.
Bob
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