Please see large photo attached. This was taken in Mountain View, CA (SF Bay Area). Looks like a Cooper's Hawk Juvenile. Please help confirm.
Posted by Brian Gatlin on January 28, 2012 at 6:25 PM
yes--immature Cooper's Hawk, Guarav. the best mark is the graduated tail feathers (the outer ones when the tail is spread, and the lowest ones here where it's folded, are shorter than the central ones). the small eye is good too. the streaking on the breast is maybe a little on the coarse side for a Coop, but still ok.
Posted by David Graham on January 29, 2012 at 9:11 AM
Has the image been taken down? Is there a link to the image that I've missed?
Dave Graham
East River, SD
Posted by Gaurav Manglik on January 29, 2012 at 10:32 AM
Dave - I forgot to post the small image. The large image is still there is you click the view large photo link.
Posted by David Graham on January 30, 2012 at 9:31 AM
Thanks for calling my attention to the image link. Def. an immy Cooper's . Not sure what was meant by "small eye " but the brilliant yellow iris is characteristic of a first-year accipiter. Next year look for it transitioning orange to a deep ruby red. Brian's comment re: "coarse" breast streaking is a good observation suggesting to me that it's likely a male; the smaller male having somewhat disproportionately larger feathers ( and thereby larger/"coarser"? feather streaking) than would be perceived on the larger immy female.
Dave Graham
East River, SD
Posted by Gaurav Manglik on February 6, 2012 at 10:03 PM
Discussion
6 repliesDave Graham
East River, SD
Dave Graham
East River, SD