Is this a juvenile Cooper's Hawk?

catherinet

12 years ago

Help with the I.D. please.

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Comments (6)

BirdyChicken
12 years ago
Hi,
I just joined the sight, I am very new to bird watching, I started today! lol! I don't know which it is, sorry. But I wanted to comment that that is a great picture!
catherinet
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks BirdyChicken! :)
My son took it while we were on a golf cart ride through our property. This hawk has been hanging around and we've been enjoying watching it.

And welcome to the neighborhood!
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birding_nut
12 years ago
The head shape and coloring lead me to think this is an immature Red-tailed Hawk. Also, when a Cooper's Hawk is perched, the tip of its wings barely come to the top of the tail (where it joins the body). The hawk in your picture has the tip of the wings coming greater than halfway down the tail. Thus, this is a buteo (soaring hawk) and by plumage, looks to me like an immature Red-tailed Hawk.

BN
tmff
12 years ago
BN,

It's a rare day that I disagree with you on any ID, but this juvenile hawk has too many uniform upper chest markings to be a Red-tailed. This is a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk. The chest/belly pattern fits that species perfectly. I'd point out the barred primaries/secondaries on the folded wings, but, alas, the tree trunk blocks that view. I am certain the barring would be there. I am certain it's a Red-shouldered.

BN is correct, though, in distinguishing this Buteo from an Accipiter (Cooper's/Sharp-shinned/Goshawk). The wing tips come too close to the tail tip.

This post was edited by TMFF on Thu, Dec 12, 13 at 17:22
birding_nut
12 years ago
TMFF, I can see your ID of a Red-shouldered. We don't get them in my neck of the woods and I didn't look to see where this was posted from so I wasn't thinking Red-shouldered at all. Thanks for the correction.

I sure wish people would post the area, region, etc., their photo was taken. It would help narrow down the possibilities...and keep me from making dumb mistakes. LOL :-)

BN
catherinet
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks everyone!
This is in central Indiana. Sorry I left that out.
No worries BN........it wasn't a dumb mistake. I appreciate everyone's input. And I learned about the distinctions between the buteo and an accipiter. :)