Juvenile Broad-tailed Hawk, Mt Charleston, Nevada, USA (1 Viewer)

[lvcuer]

Juvenile Broad-winged Hawk, Mt Charleston, Nevada, USA

Mt Charleston is just outside of Las Vegas. At 8000 feet, I was birding a spring and was hollered at by a buteo - I immediately assumed Red-Tailed Hawk. Back home, looking at the photos, I was not so sure. The lighting is poor, but this bird seemed to have too much streaking on the breast and no sign of the black patagial mark when it spread its wings for it to be a Red-tail of any type. Broad-winged Hawks are uncommon, but not unheard of, in NV. Is this the correct identification? Thanks!

 

[ceasar]

When did you see this Hawk? It looks very much like a Harlan's Hawk; a sub-species of the Red-tailed Hawk B j. harlani. At this time of the year it should be starting to migrate from its breeding grounds in Alaska down into the Mississippi Valley. Wheelers range maps shows that they have been seen around Reno on occasion.

To make things simpler it also (probably is) could be a juvenile dark morph or Dark intermediate morph "western" Red-tailed Hawk. B. j. calurus. "Western" Red-tailed Hawks are very common throughout Nevada although the light morph versions are the most common.

It also looks, as you point out, like a juvenile Dark Morph Broad-winged Hawk which have also been seen in Colorado according to Wheeler's range maps, but he also notes that Juveniles have a medium brown colored iris and yours has a pale yellow iris. Pictures of juvenile Harlan's Hawks and other Red-tailed Hawks in his book show a pale iris like your bird.

Wheeler's RAPTORS of Western North America at Plates #409 through #412 in the Chapter on the Red-tailed Hawk pictures 4 juvenile "Harlan's" Hawks that look very much like this bird. And in plates 404 through 408 juvenile dark morph Red-tailed Hawks are shown that look very much like your bird.

In your first picture I can also see a hint of a patagial band on the underwing and in #2 and #3 I can see a portion of the white scapular bands which Red-tailed Hawks have.

Wheeler also discusses Harlan's Hawks intergrading with the "Western" Red-tailed Hawk, B.j. calurus which confuses matters further.

For myself, I think it is a juvenile "western" dark morph Red-tailed Hawk.

Bob

 

[lvcuer]

Thank you for the very complete answer. I have the Raptor book and will check the referenced plates. The bird was certainly big enough to be a Red-Tailed Hawk and it would also be the more likely bird. lvcuer