San Diego, California: Lg White Bird (Hawk?) (3 Viewers)

[rustyw]

From my back yard...

If you saw the video of the Raven pestering the Red Tail Hawk, this is the white Hawk(?) which often flys with the Red Tail (it is also pestered by Crows and/or Ravens). I wish I had a picture of the two Hawks together so you could see how big this bird is. I'd estimate that it is 15% larger then the Red Tail. This is the best image I have right now. Hopefully someone can tell what kind of bird it is.

 

[Gentoo]

I'm in San Diego too. Where did you see this?

 

[MLoyko]

It might be the best image you have but is there any other pictures that show wing shape or anything from underneath? I'm fairly certain we can get something from this if we have more pictures (even if they are crap) to go from.

-Matt

 

[lmans66]

The coloration of the head is that of an Osprey. Makes sense too near SD and the waters.....

 

[apbarr]

Osprey doesn't look right, more like a albino/leucistic Red-tail or other Buteo

 

[steveo]

The coloration of the head is that of an Osprey. Makes sense too near SD and the waters.....

To me the wings don't look like osprey wings. They look to short. If I was to throw a guess it would be a buteo with pigment problems.

 

[MLoyko]

To me the wings don't look like osprey wings. They look to short. If I was to throw a guess it would be a buteo with pigment problems.

Agreed, I was going to mention that at first but I saw the size description and hesitated in doing so. But definitely looks wrong for Osprey. I'm interested in seeing how this turns out, but I can picture this bird turning up to show us the underbelly and being a buteo.

 

[cavan wood]

Very cool bird.

I agree that wing and tail structure looks best for a buteo, and judging from OP it is as big or bigger than a RTHA. I see a dark patagial bar on the left wing and a partial one on the right, suggesting RTHA, but it's obviously an oddly pigmented bird so not diagnostic.

The dark tail on a light bird seems to eliminate rough-legged, and ferriginous, and presemably we would see something of a terminal band if it were an adult swainson's. The throat looks dark and the head grey and I don't think that's ALL because of lighting. If I had to guess I would say pigmentally challenged red tail, but some further visits and photos are definately worth pursuing.

Scott

 

[rockfowl]

Very nice bird, a Buteo IMO and probably the female flying with a male(s) Red-tailed's hence the size difference

 

[lmans66]

At this moment with that picture, I still go with Osprey. Rusty mentioned the size...so that alone by sight is the only thing we have going especially since he compared it to a redtail. A red tail gets to be 50" or so...an Osprey 63" or so...a pretty good difference. Other than a large Eagle like the Bald eagle, there really isn't anything measurable larger than a red tail.

Recently being in Baja I saw numerous Ospreys and they are large birds. These birds would be attacked by other birds (gulls in this case) when flying with a fish in talons.

I admit though on this bird the wings bother me still. The shape in flight as well as the top (that what we can see) should be darker.

More shots are needed on this one but it is not a red tail hawk. Period......

 

[Parula6]

IMO not an osprey -- nothing other than the light color suggests that species to me, particularly wing length relative to body size. I'd say the overall look is that of a buteo. There was a white Redtail around these parts for a few years. It also looked noticeably bigger than normal, and the general consensus was this impression was caused by a) it being a female and b) to the common perception that light colored/white objects are bigger than similar dark colored objects. Perhaps the same phenomenon prevails here.

 

[rustyw]

I've waited weeks to post this in an effort to get some better shots. I'll dig through my videos and see if I have anything. This was taken from my back yard in Rancho Penasquitos. There are a slew of wild areas in this general area. This is wild area is where the Ted Williams freeway crosses Rancho Penasquitos Blvd. This wild area is a canyon that runs along the freeway and meets the back Views West Park. Our house is on the rim of this canyon.

Rusty

PS... what is a Buteo?

Edit: Nevermind... I should google before asking dumb questions (The Red-Tailed Hawk is a member of the genus Buteo, a group of medium-sized ...)

 

[rustyw]

More Images of White Bird

I have lots of video of this bird, all of it crappy. However I scrubbed though it all and managed to find a couple of frames that might help.

 

[The Falcon]

I have lots of video of this bird, all of it crappy. However I scrubbed though it all and managed to find a couple of frames that might help.

There is no question that is a buteo. The two latest photos posted says Red-tailed Hawk to me.

 

[howell7079]

Could be a Harlan's red-tailed hawk. I believe these are mostly found in the southwest US.

Lyndon

 

[MLoyko]

More shots are needed on this one but it is not a red tail hawk. Period......

These last two don't look like an Osprey to me at all......

My vote is Buteo, probably RTH with pigmentation problems

 

[Gentoo]

I've waited weeks to post this in an effort to get some better shots. I'll dig through my videos and see if I have anything. This was taken from my back yard in Rancho Penasquitos. There are a slew of wild areas in this general area. This is wild area is where the Ted Williams freeway crosses Rancho Penasquitos Blvd. This wild area is a canyon that runs along the freeway and meets the back Views West Park. Our house is on the rim of this canyon.

Rusty

PS... what is a Buteo?

Edit: Nevermind... I should google before asking dumb questions (The Red-Tailed Hawk is a member of the genus Buteo, a group of medium-sized ...)

Leucistic Red-Tail is my bet. Shaped like one.

I'll have to try to get up in your area. I'm in Mission Valley and could take 15 north. I don't usually go much past Mira Mesa Blvd. and the Lake Miramar area. How much further is this as I will have to convince my friend to take me there.

BTW a Buteo is the group of broad winged soaring hawks like the Red-Tailed, Red-Shouldered Ferruginous and Rough-Legged Hawk. When the Brits say Buzzard, they are talking about these hawks, not vultures as we in the states erroneously call them. You may see Red-Tailed Buzzard is you see a British list.

 

[lmans66]

which bird is which

I have lots of video of this bird, all of it crappy. However I scrubbed though it all and managed to find a couple of frames that might help.

The second bird you just posted on the right, that must be the red tail you are talking about and the one on the left is the bird you originally posted, correct? For those are two different birds you just posted this time, not a picture of the same bird....

My vote is still out on the original bird and the one of the right you posted if those two are the same bird. I'll will be a lone ranger here for a minute and yes, it might not be an osprey, given....but ?...I think a better picture is still needed. Not a lot of magnification with that last shot on the left...

If you start looking at the types of buteos in Mexico.....oh there are a ton of them. Many of them are white but hardly any of the white ones get to be a large size. I can easily see a buteo getting displaced and settling in near SD for it is almost mexico in terms of climate and environment. But a more definitive picture needs to be had.

 

[MLoyko]

those last two pictures appear to be the same bird to me, if you look at the first picture notice the two black lines on the left wing, now look at the second picture. You can make out the same two black lines on the same left wing. There is one black line on the right wing and you can make that out on the right wing of the second picture. Same bird in my opinion.

 

[apbarr]

The second bird you just posted on the right, that must be the red tail you are talking about and the one on the left is the bird you originally posted, correct? For those are two different birds you just posted this time, not a picture of the same bird....

I also think that these pictures are of the same bird as stated above. I'm almost certain that this is some type of Buteo and given the size labberant/eucistic Red-tail fits. There have been a couple of white Common Buzzards in the UK featuring on this site fairly recently.