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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Would somebody please ID this bird
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 07/09/2007 02:54:44 PM · #1
Would somebody please help me ID this bird?



I had a water hose running in my back yard and this bird stopped in to get a drink and take a quick bath. I'd like to know what it is.

I apologize for the lousy photo. When I saw the bird, I ran and grabbed my camera and only had time to snap a couple shots before it flew away. I didn't have time to mess with camera settings and I had to shoot through four layers of glass in a rather dirty kitchen window. I don't care about the photo; I just want to know what type of bird this is.

Message edited by author 2007-07-09 14:55:02.
 07/09/2007 03:00:15 PM · #2
It looks like a red-tailed hawk, not positive, but im pretty sure thats what it is, hope that helps,

Ryand
 07/09/2007 03:01:40 PM · #3
My first thought was Red-tailed Hawk. Do you have any photos that might show the bottom side of his tail? That would be the dead give away.
 07/09/2007 03:04:29 PM · #4
It's not a red tail... i'm looking for it now..
 07/09/2007 03:07:19 PM · #5
it could be a red-tail... not sure :(
 07/09/2007 03:07:59 PM · #6
Judging from the size, it could be a Kestrel. The tail isn't red enough for a Red Tailed Hawk and it also seems a bit small for that.
 07/09/2007 03:08:34 PM · #7
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
it could be a red-tail... not sure :(


It looks like a young dark red-tail. Just admit it, John, heh.
 07/09/2007 03:09:02 PM · #8
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Judging from the size, it could be a Kestrel. The tail isn't red enough for a Red Tailed Hawk and it also seems a bit small for that.


There's no way it's a Kestrel.
 07/09/2007 03:09:14 PM · #9
Hate these arguments, but it could be was a Sharp Shinned Hawk.
The key from this angle would be the size, the sharpy being smaller (10.5 ") than the red tailed (18") since coloration can be similar.

:)
 07/09/2007 03:12:23 PM · #10
Coopers? heh

Edit: I don't see the dead give away red eyes for the Coopers, though.

Edit 2: Coopers eating a Kestrel I just thought this was funny for this conversation.

Message edited by author 2007-07-09 15:16:20.
 07/09/2007 03:20:06 PM · #11
Originally posted by aliqui:
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
it could be a red-tail... not sure :(


It looks like a young dark red-tail. Just admit it, John, heh.


It might be. I do know that it's too large to be a kestrel. Kestrel's are small birds.
 07/09/2007 03:24:10 PM · #12
could be a Broad-winged Hawk or Red-Tailed - looks like an immature one so if red tailed it may not show it yet. Too much white for a Coopers.
 07/09/2007 03:35:21 PM · #13
Originally posted by lyta:
could be a Broad-winged Hawk or Red-Tailed - looks like an immature one so if red tailed it may not show it yet. Too much white for a Coopers.


I thought it was too white for a Coopers until I was looking around. I think a lot of the photos online are mislabeled birds though. I was trying to find a somewhat reliable source, but I don't have a whole lot of time to be looking around since I'm at work.

It looks too big for a Sharpshin to me.

Wait.. it's a Golden Eagle! Those are some monsterous Dandylions you have in your yard sir! Call Guinness!

I'm still leaning towards Red-tail. I do know that Red-tails can be very light to almost black sometimes. I just want to grab that bird and lift it up to the sun so I can see the light through the tail, heh.

07/09/2007 03:37:46 PM · #14
Originally posted by aliqui:
Coopers? heh

Edit: I don't see the dead give away red eyes for the Coopers, though.

Edit 2: Coopers eating a Kestrel I just thought this was funny for this conversation.


Looks like a juvenile, and red eyes don't develop until adulthood.
 07/09/2007 03:51:48 PM · #15
The location is near Portland Oregon, if that makes any difference.

I got a feeling when I was looking at it that it was a young bird. I don't know why. It was splashing around, dipping its wings in the water. I didn't seem to be very wary of its surroundings, and seeing me at the window didn't seem to bother it much.

My first thought when I saw it was that it was some type of young vulture.

07/09/2007 04:38:03 PM · #16
My gut feeling it is an immature red-tailed, but it could possibly be an immature red-shouldered. It is definitally a Buteo, so Cooper's and Sharpies (short-rounded wings) are out. Kestrels are falcons, pointed wings, so they're out. Golden Eagle or any other eagle would have a massive bill, talons and much larger.

Red-tailed's always have a dark leading edge (dark line across the wings) to the wings, seen on all light color phases and regular phases. This shot shows somewhat a bit of that line.

Juvenile red-tailed's do not have rusty (red) tails but banding like this shot shows. The bands appear red-tailed since they are closed together, red-shouldered ar a bit more separated.

Red-tailed immatures tend to have darker heads than red-shouldered's.

In Oregon, red-shouldered's are present but not common as far north as Portland. I saw them near Eugene, but not to often. More common in So. Oregon, (i.e. Coos Bay, Ashland, etc...)

The only thing that makes me wonder is the dark (blackish) upper wings that appear to be much darker than a typical red-tail. But lighting can affect this.

Look at the tail band on the second photo to see the bands.
Immature Red-Shouldered

Red-tailed is my guess.

Just my thoughts,

Van
 07/09/2007 04:50:52 PM · #17
Originally posted by Mick:
My first thought when I saw it was that it was some type of young vulture.

This will rule out your cooper's/sharp-shinned answers...no way anyone would mistake one of those small birds for a vulture.

I will cast my vote for red-tailed hawk. I am not familiar with NW hawks, but it looks like the dozens of immature red-tails I have captured, banded, and released. It could be red-shouldered, broadwinged, or other similar hawks. Gut feeling=red-tailed.
-drew
 07/09/2007 04:55:25 PM · #18
Because of the splotchy feather pattern, its definately a juvenile. More than likely a red tailed hawk.
07/09/2007 04:55:25 PM · #19
looks kind of like a Peregrine Falcon
 07/09/2007 05:00:44 PM · #20
It looks like this one:

07/09/2007 05:23:22 PM · #21
Originally posted by Bugzeye:
looks kind of like a Peregrine Falcon

It is missing the very distinct "mustache" of the Peregrine, the wing-tips are too broad, and the proportions of the body are off.
 07/09/2007 05:31:50 PM · #22
I have a red-tail circling our pasture all day long. It's the most common bird of prey here, too. And this one looks just like one of 'em.
 07/09/2007 05:40:08 PM · #23
From the Sibley Field Guide to Birds:

The very distinct white patch on the breast of the bird in your picture will probably rule out the following, as they (even in examples of immature birds) do not possess this characteristic:
northern goshawk, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper’s hawk, northern harrier, Swainson’s hawk (dark morph), Ferruginous hawk has an all white breast

Geographical location will exclude the following:
Harris’s hawk, common black-hawk, grey hawk, zone-tailed hawk, short-tailed hawk, white-tailed hawk

Body size and shape (including beak and talons) will rule out eagles and falcons.

This leaves us with red-shouldered hawk or red-tailed hawk. Probably a red-tailed hawk, due to the juvenile red-shoulders having evenly streaked breasts and your bird’s picture, again, has a large white patch in the middle of its breast. This patch is indicative of a red-tailed hawk; they are commonly found from Alaska down into Central America and are common year round in Oregon.

-drew
 07/09/2007 06:07:05 PM · #24
Originally posted by vtruan:
My gut feeling it is an immature red-tailed...


I'd recommend listening to Van. He is *the* resident DPC bird ID expert.
 07/09/2007 06:31:19 PM · #25
Thanks for the input everyone!

Now, if I can just get it to pose for me... :D

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