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Hawk ID

14 years ago

Would you think this is a Cooper's or a juvenile N. Goshawk? The fence rails are 15 inches apart center to center, making this bird 20 inches in length. I could not see it's belly any better. Seen in eastern North Dakota today, on the edge of farm land, woodland, and river.

If you ID it, please tell me the markings you use so I can learn.

Thanks!

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Comments (2)

Aurore
14 years ago
I'm guessing a goshawk.

Here is a link that might be useful: gos vs coopers
prairie_love
Original Author
14 years ago
Great link, aurore! Thank you. It does appear this is a goshawk - new yard bird for me.
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Before this one, I'd only seen a cooper's, aside from flyovers, once since i started bird watching. It was perched on neighbors HAM radio antenna, and I was able to get a few pics of it. Before I started bird watching, I saw, what I now am pretty sure was, a cooper's hawk try to catch a blue jay that was perched in one of my crepe Myrtle trees, right in front of me, he missed though! Everything I've ever reAd about cooper's, describes them as being "uncommon" in urban areas and lists them As "forest dwelling hawks" which is what made me doubt this hawk was a cooper's, and also why I usually assume it's a red tailed when I see hawks in busy/urban areas, now I'll make sure to take a closer look! Thanks!
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