Please help me identify this bird.

August 11, 2012 6:28 PM

Can you help me identify this hawk-like bird?

He was flopping around in the street in front of my house in north central Texas. I approached him and did not see any obvious injuries. I got him to hobble to the side of the road and kept an eye on him. Thankfully, he flew away after about 10 minutes.

posted by punkfloyd to pets & animals (9 answers total)

Juvenile Mississippi Kite?
posted by gingerbeer at 6:41 PM on August 11, 2012 [3 favorites]

Yeah, I also think juve miki.

(Yes, we are in the same room on different laptops.)
posted by rtha at 6:42 PM on August 11, 2012 [10 favorites]

Check the photo marked "juvenile" on this page.
posted by gingerbeer at 6:42 PM on August 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

A set of better photos of a juvie MIKI in similar shots. It could be some other juvenile kite, but I vote juvenile for sure, and kite, and the MIKI looks very close. It's not a species I've seen very much in person, though.
posted by gingerbeer at 6:46 PM on August 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

I think you guys are right. I was so glad when he flew away. I was on the phone with local police as animal control was closed for the day. Not sure much could have been done for him on a Saturday evening.
posted by punkfloyd at 6:48 PM on August 11, 2012

Front of this bird; back of this bird.

Glad the bird seemed okay - juveniles are not the greatest at flying, and crash into buildings a fair amount.

Look up! It's migration season, and Texas is a major flyway for birds heading to Central and South America.
posted by rtha at 6:50 PM on August 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

Very glad the bird was okay. Not sure where you are exactly, but here's a list of wildlife rehabs by county in Texas, for future reference.
posted by gingerbeer at 6:54 PM on August 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

THANKS Gingerbeer! What a great resource.
posted by punkfloyd at 7:01 PM on August 11, 2012

Just nthing: as usual rtha and gingerbeer were all over it.
posted by trip and a half at 7:16 PM on August 11, 2012