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Hawk and Prey ID?

Discussion

12 replies
Posted by Steve Balke on October 29, 2009 at 10:56 PM
Hawk and Prey ID?
I watched this fellow as he devoured all of this bird this morning at the Riverwood Conservancy in Mississauga, ON, Canada (near Toronto). I'm pretty sure this is a Cooper's Hawk...but not positive! However, his prey is a complete mystery. We currently have plenty of Dark Eyed Juncos around here. Could it be one of them? Any help appreciated.
Posted by Luke Ormand on October 29, 2009 at 11:59 PM
Looks like a juv coopers. as the eye is yellow. Once it goes to adult, the eye changes to orange. Can't help on the prey other than suggesting a pigeon?
Posted by Nate Chappell on October 30, 2009 at 8:48 AM
Do you have any other angles to post Steve? If so, please post them. I wouldn´t have guessed Cooper´s based on this but it´s a tough angle to id it from.
Posted by Mia McPherson on October 30, 2009 at 9:04 AM
The tail looks a bit short to me for a Cooper's, if you have any other images that would be helpful.
Posted by Greg Cope on October 30, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Hard to ID for sure based upon this angle but the patterning of some of those feathers (back and front), the posture, and tail length are all reminiscent of a Red Tailed hawk (immature). If you have other angles it may help. My guess (and this is only a guess) on prey based upon size and color would be an American Coot
Posted by Mia McPherson on October 30, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Looking at this bird again, I tend to agree with Greg on it possibly being an immature lighter phased red-tailed.

Because of the tail length, and the narrowly striped pattern in the tail, the Cooper's tail would be longer and the stripes in the tail would be wider.

This bird also appears to have white-spotted V's on the scapulars, though I can not be sure of that because of the angle, and you find those whote spotted V's on the scapulars of an immature red-tailed. Cooper's do not have that feature.

I'd rule out a Roughie because the chest isn't dark and it does not have a Roughie face.

The part under the bill would not be white on an immature or adult Cooper's, it would be brownish for am immature Cooper's and more rusty orange with an adult.

There are quite a few hawk species where the immature birds have yellowish colored eyes, including the red-tailed, so that alone isn't enough to make an ID imho.

The immature Cooper's would have thin dark streaks on the chest, that is lacking in this bird. Again it appears more like a lighter phase of a red-tailed there.
Posted by Steve Balke on October 30, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Thank you, everyone. I have many shots of this hawk but the vast majority are at the same or very similar angle. I found two that are somewhat different. Here is the first one.
Posted by Steve Balke on October 30, 2009 at 11:40 AM
and here is the second:
Posted by Mia McPherson on October 30, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Red-tailed Hawk
Posted by Jim DeWitt on October 30, 2009 at 1:13 PM
A hatch year Red-tailed Hawk, light phase. I have no idea what the prey is/was, but even an young Red-tail wouldn't fool around with a songbird, if it could catch it.
Posted by Luke Ormand on October 30, 2009 at 2:57 PM
The third photo really clears it up that it's a red tailed hawk. I certainly wasn't trying to imply that the yellow/red eye difference makes it a Cooper's, but it means that it could fit coopers. Glad there are so many experts here with many many years of knowledge that can give detailed IDs
Posted by Steve Balke on October 30, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Thank you all. I really am impressed by the depth of knowledge shown by the responses to this topic. Looking into Peterson, I gather that it is the "light chest and streaked belly" that were the main identifying characteristics of this hawk. It's so much easier to use the field guide when I know the answer already! Looks like identity of the poor unfortunate serving as breakfast is much more in doubt. Suggestions so far include pigeon (Luke) and American coot (Greg). Could be....but I have not seen either in this neighborhood. Back to the field guide.... :rolleyes:
Posted by Mia McPherson on October 30, 2009 at 6:09 PM
It could be a crow, if so the Red-tailed is perpetuating the old saying "Eating Crow".