Help bird id in Ocosingo, Chiapas (México) (2 Viewers)

[pbaptista]

In 11 May 2024
Sorry for the quality of the photo.
Thanks!

 

[THE_FERN]

Perhaps red-tailed hawk

 

[Butty]

Perhaps red-tailed hawk

I'm guessing you typed that in error? Very wrong for that species: wing- and head-shape, tail-length, thickness and number of tail-bands. In my opinion.

 

[lockbreeze926]

I wonder if the width of the tail-bands is distorted by image quality?

The bird looks like it could be a juvenile Gray Hawk (but too dark?) or a juv Zone-Tailed Hawk (but tail bands not as broad?). Tail maybe better for Cooper's but wing proportions not a great fit.

 

[pbaptista]

It might help to set the brightness to maximum to see the contrast.
The sighting was in mountains with tropical forest, in morning, at +/- 8:30 am, some Coragyps atratus were flying nearby.

 

[lockbreeze926]

Also, I think it has the wrong number of fingers for a Cooper's, but I'm never 100% clear about how those are counted.

 

[Butty]

I'm never 100% clear about how [primary fingers] are counted

I'm not sure anyone is - or, if they are, they've never managed to explain it unambiguously on here. Perennial problem 🤷🏻

 

[pbaptista]

Perhaps red-tailed hawk

I consider the red-tailed hawk unlikely, not only because of the tail (I saw dozens of photos and didn't find anyone with a similar pattern) but also because of the history of sightings in the region. Thanks for your opinion!

 

[THE_FERN]

Also, I think it has the wrong number of fingers for a Cooper's, but I'm never 100% clear about how those are counted.

I felt the jizz looks wrong for an accipiter—perhaps not long-bodied/winged enough. However, the no of fingers fits Coopers [6]—we can see 5 clearly and there's another that's regrowing. The barring on the tail and (what we can see of) the wings fits. I wondered about zone-tailed hawk but that has a shorter tail and 5 fingers.

 

[pbaptista]

Of the 3 possibilities mentioned (juvenile Gray Hawk, juv Zone-Tailed Hawk or Cooper's), for now I will consider the most likely to be a juvenile Gray Hawk because there is a big difference in sightings in the area, 833, 24 and 17 respectively and for some photos with a more similar tail pattern. Are there any other prey with a similar pattern? Thanks.

 

[pbjosh]

Put me in the camp of something that fits structurally with Gray / Red-shouldered / Broad-winged Hawk. I can squint (a lot) and almost see an Accipiter, but I'd be shocked if it really were. I cannot squint enough to see a larger Buteo like Red-tailed.