I looks like a dark adult Short Tail Hawk to me. It would be a rare sighting in your area. I may be wrong, but that what it looks like to me.
Posted by Luke Ormand on January 2, 2011 at 8:27 PM
Red-tailed Hawk (dark adult) is my entry.
I doubt the short-tailed hawk as there's no banding on the tail and the beak isn't dark. Additionally, a red-tailed hawk would be expected (and common, really) where-as a short-tailed would be quite noteworthy.
Posted by Richard Ditch on January 2, 2011 at 9:43 PM
I'm with Luke - dark morph red-tail. Short-tailed has prominent banding on the til not shown by this bird.
Posted by Angela McCain on January 2, 2011 at 11:06 PM
He came into the territory of the harrier (Posted image 12/18). The harrier chased him and another more typical red-tail off pretty handily.
Discussion
4 repliesMid-air fight with a Northern Harrier, and this hawk.
I doubt the short-tailed hawk as there's no banding on the tail and the beak isn't dark. Additionally, a red-tailed hawk would be expected (and common, really) where-as a short-tailed would be quite noteworthy.