What kind of hawk is this
December 10, 2015 5:17 PM Subscribe
This hawk was hanging out in my back yard, any idea what kind it is? Thinking it's a red shouldered hawk. He was in CA, bay area.
Thanks!
Best answer: And if you want me to blather on about why it's a redtail and not a redshoulder, let me know!
posted by rtha at 5:50 PM on December 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by rtha at 5:50 PM on December 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Cool, thanks, this was actually taken with my cell phone pointing through a pair of binoculars. Lots of red tailed hawks around here so that makes perfect sense, are the red shouldered ones smaller?
posted by zeoslap at 5:52 PM on December 10, 2015
posted by zeoslap at 5:52 PM on December 10, 2015
Best answer: That is a SUPER nice shot, digiscoped as it is with a phone. Go, you!
Juvenile California red-shoulders are much more adult-like than their Eastern cousins - they are quite rufous on the chest and belly (though not as red as the adults), and their wings, even when perched, will show pretty strong dark brown and white bands (these become black and white in adults), and the tail is also strongly banded with pretty broad bands. In flight, both adults and juves show a sort of checkerboard pattern in the wings, especially when backlit. In adults, this pattern is very noticeably black and white. The adults have red shoulders.
Juvie 'tails have a bright white or cream "medallion" in the chest and almost always a very strong belly band. The tails are brown and banded (usually) with narrow black bands. Their tails turn red when they're adults, and the chest and belly become more tan (in light-morph birds - there are dark- and rufous-morph 'tails, too, because of course there are) and the belly band becomes less pronounced or disappears altogether. In flight, both adults and juves also also have a patagial - that is, from beneath, you can see a dark leading edge on the wing, between the wrist and body. They're the only buteo in North America to show this, and it's diagnostic for redtail.
Redtails are also larger, though size can be pretty hard to judge when a bird is on the wing or just hanging out by itself on a branch or fence or light pole. If it helps, 'shoulders have a more pigeon-headed look to them - their bills are smaller and the head is a different shape. They are buteos, like redtails, but tend to hunt in trees and brush rather than over open fields, and are sized and shaped for that.
And since you are in the Bay Area, here is where I shill for the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, which taught me everything I know about raptors and continues to do so. The hawkwatch season ended on Sunday, but you can volunteer for next year - or just come visit us up on Hawk Hill next fall.
posted by rtha at 6:13 PM on December 10, 2015 [28 favorites]
Juvenile California red-shoulders are much more adult-like than their Eastern cousins - they are quite rufous on the chest and belly (though not as red as the adults), and their wings, even when perched, will show pretty strong dark brown and white bands (these become black and white in adults), and the tail is also strongly banded with pretty broad bands. In flight, both adults and juves show a sort of checkerboard pattern in the wings, especially when backlit. In adults, this pattern is very noticeably black and white. The adults have red shoulders.
Juvie 'tails have a bright white or cream "medallion" in the chest and almost always a very strong belly band. The tails are brown and banded (usually) with narrow black bands. Their tails turn red when they're adults, and the chest and belly become more tan (in light-morph birds - there are dark- and rufous-morph 'tails, too, because of course there are) and the belly band becomes less pronounced or disappears altogether. In flight, both adults and juves also also have a patagial - that is, from beneath, you can see a dark leading edge on the wing, between the wrist and body. They're the only buteo in North America to show this, and it's diagnostic for redtail.
Redtails are also larger, though size can be pretty hard to judge when a bird is on the wing or just hanging out by itself on a branch or fence or light pole. If it helps, 'shoulders have a more pigeon-headed look to them - their bills are smaller and the head is a different shape. They are buteos, like redtails, but tend to hunt in trees and brush rather than over open fields, and are sized and shaped for that.
And since you are in the Bay Area, here is where I shill for the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, which taught me everything I know about raptors and continues to do so. The hawkwatch season ended on Sunday, but you can volunteer for next year - or just come visit us up on Hawk Hill next fall.
posted by rtha at 6:13 PM on December 10, 2015 [28 favorites]
Best answer: Yes, it is full of gophers, probably. Mmmm gophers.
posted by rtha at 7:12 PM on December 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by rtha at 7:12 PM on December 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Wow, thanks so much for the great info, this is also a favorite spot for great horned owls to hang out ☺
posted by zeoslap at 7:37 PM on December 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by zeoslap at 7:37 PM on December 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Sweet! (Or not - one time I opened an owl pellet and it became immediately obvious that it was the leftovers of a meal of skunk!) Also, check IRL - there's a meetup in SF this weekend because cortex is in town.
posted by rtha at 7:43 PM on December 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rtha at 7:43 PM on December 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh, how timely: Here is a fantastic photo (fb but should be public) of an adult California redshoulder, where you can really see the red shoulders and a checkerboard pattern on the wings.
posted by rtha at 8:22 PM on December 10, 2015
posted by rtha at 8:22 PM on December 10, 2015
Juvenile red-tailed hawk! Nice shot!That's one of the most apt username/post combos I've seen in a while.
posted by rtha at 8:26 PM on December 10
posted by Johnny Assay at 4:49 AM on December 11, 2015 [5 favorites]
I don't have great vision, so I tend to notice red-shouldered hawks via their very loud, distinctive calls. They are noisy, and tend to fly and call at the same time.
Also, wow, your bird photos are great.
posted by purpleclover at 7:29 AM on December 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
Also, wow, your bird photos are great.
posted by purpleclover at 7:29 AM on December 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
Ah, this gives me a chance to pimp my "Hawk Channel" from a decade ago!
http://www.thehawkchannel.com/
posted by intermod at 11:04 AM on December 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
http://www.thehawkchannel.com/
posted by intermod at 11:04 AM on December 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
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posted by rtha at 5:26 PM on December 10, 2015 [17 favorites]