Is this a Red Tail Hawk? (2 Viewers)

[Tony D]

Is this the front of a Red Tail Hawk?

Thanks!

Tony.

 

[Jim M.]

Hi Tony,

Looks to be a Swainson's Hawk to me-- one of the "intermediate morphs", i.e. between dark and light. Notice the white throat contrasting with the dark brown head and dark reddish breast, as well as the reddish barring on the belly. Red-tailed Hawks typically have a white breast.

Where was the photo taken?

Best,
Jim

 

[steveo]

Looks like a Red-shouldered Hawk.

 

[Jim M.]

Looks like a Red-shouldered Hawk.

Among other things, a Red-shouldered Hawk would not have a white throat or dark brown head, like this bird does.

Best,
Jim

 

[steveo]

My fault.

 

[Tony D]

Thanks for the replies! It was taken in Richmond BC yesterday!

Tony.

 

[JANJ]

They even come without the pale throat.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100085835

Imagen this with a darker breast:

http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/image/71818948

JanJ

 

[ceasar]

B. j. alascensis (Alaskan RTH) intergrade with B. j. calurus (Western RTH)?
See notes on pages 337 & 338 in Wheeler's Raptors of Western North America. Also see range maps on pp. 343 and 344.

Swainsons are gone by this date and Wheeler's range maps don't show them in this part of BC at any time. His maps show a couple of spot records for the winter range of RSH in Seattle and north into Vancouver Island. p.240.

Bob

 

[JANJ]

Interesting with the pale rufous undertail - suggestiv of Red-tailed. Also the rufous barred undertail coverts perhaps looks better for RTH, usually whitish in Swainson´s, although there are exceptions.

The images here:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=6406985

JanJ

 

[ceasar]

Interesting with the pale rufous undertail - suggestiv of Red-tailed. Also the rufous barred undertail coverts perhaps looks better for RTH, usually whitish in Swainson´s, although there are exceptions.

The images here:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=6406985

JanJ

There is also a hint of a black "belly band" in the first photo of this link and also (to a lesser extent) in Tony D.'s 3rd photo in thread 1 above.
Bob

 

[Jim M.]

B. j. alascensis (Alaskan RTH) intergrade with B. j. calurus (Western RTH)?
See notes on pages 337 & 338 in Wheeler's Raptors of Western North America. Also see range maps on pp. 343 and 344.

Swainsons are gone by this date and Wheeler's range maps don't show them in this part of BC at any time. His maps show a couple of spot records for the winter range of RSH in Seattle and north into Vancouver Island. p.240.

Bob

Good point regarding it being late for Swainson's, Bob. However, the bright yellow cere is still good for Swainson's Hawk -- typically dull greenish in Red-tailed Hawk. (See the photo of a similar looking Swainson's on page 284 of wheelers Western raptors, plate 279). I still think this might be a late Swainson's Hawk. Though admittedly, some Red-tailed Hawks do show a white throat with contrasting brown hood.

Best,
Jim

 

[ceasar]

Wheeler mentions at page 278 that a few Swainsons (up to 100) do winter over near Stockton, Calif. So there is a possibility that one could get lost near Vancouver but it would be far north and west of it's normal summer range. RTH's also can have greenish/yellow ceres.

I just thought about the relative wing lengths. The pictures aren't definitive here but there is no indication in Tony's 2nd photo in thread 1 that the wings extend beyond the tail, but JanJ's thread 7, in the picture of the Swainson, you can see a bit of the wingtip below the birds tail.
Bob

 

[birderbf]

Yikes, I'm glad there aren't many of those out East!

I was leaning toward Swainson's prior to noticing the tail color. Also, there's no dark bib to speak of.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2254/2457106901_10819ddabd.jpg?v=0

 

[Jim M.]

Tony,

Do you have any additional photos of this bird? Flight shots in particular would make the ID easier.

Best,
Jim

 

[AsterixnObelix]

Yikes, I'm glad there aren't many of those out East!

You, don't say! I was leaning towards Swainson's until I read your post and then I went back and took another look at the images. I am not sure anymore.