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Immature Female Cooper's Hawk?

Discussion

7 replies
Posted by Brian Lengling on September 28, 2008 at 11:26 PM
Immature Female Cooper's Hawk?
I'm going to stir for some controversy here :smile:
I shot a series of this young hawk while learning to hunt. Its parents were a bit further down the treeline and I believe this was a training to hunt session. The hawk was in a dead tree as I made my way slowly at an oblique angle towards it. I took some shots as it fidgited in the tree and then finally took flight. I continued shooting as it circled above and screeched its displeasure and its reluctance to leave mom and dad.After about 40 shots it moved off.

Id'ing this young hawk has become a trying ordeal with some highly spirited discussions among friends and birders. after researching many field guides, Peterson Field Guide / Hawks of North Ameerica gave me the most detailed descriptions and photos and I believe this to be an immature female Cooper's Hawk.

Allright ....Discuss :confused: :wink: :argue: :biggrin: :toast:

EXIF
Canon 10D
Canon EF 100-400 L
400mm @ f/6.7
1/2000th sec @ ISO 400
Posted by Toni Lankerd on September 29, 2008 at 9:43 AM
The spread of the tail tells me otherwise, Brian. This Hawk looks very similar to the immature Red-Tailed Hawk I saw earlier this year. Nice catch, regardless!
Posted by wally emmert on September 29, 2008 at 12:38 PM
nice shot, i too believe its an immature red tail hawk
Posted by Kendall Hetrick on September 29, 2008 at 7:24 PM
Nice flight shot, did you catch one that shows more underbody, or did you catch one of the pair you think were parents.
Posted by Brian Lengling on September 29, 2008 at 11:02 PM
How about this one?
Could be a Redtail as yhey are very common here, but this one seemed smaller but did have telltale Buteo sillouette
Posted by Kendall Hetrick on September 29, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Just me but looks more Redtail here. I like this view better but both are shots I would take any time.
Posted by Chuck Beatty on September 30, 2008 at 8:14 PM
Definitely a red-tail. The dark band across the belly is a give-away. Beautiful captures, both.
Posted by Brian Lengling on October 1, 2008 at 11:06 PM
Hey thanks everyone and Chuck the band across the belly you mentioned led to an exact representation of a immature light phase Red Tail. I have to say Petersons Field Guides " Hawks of North America is a wonderful guide with plates of mature , immature, male , female, color phases and everything in between. Two big thumbs up to this guide