Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: Jaedon on January 27, 2008, 09:37:27 AM

Title: Broad Winged or RT Dark Morph?
Post by: Jaedon on January 27, 2008, 09:37:27 AM

Saw this guy yesterday at the corner of Kennedy and Sheppard.  I have tentatively ID'd him as a Broad Winged hawk from my birders guide but he my be a dark morphed RT.  Can anyone shed some light on this?

(http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4636/p1261308resizebf9.jpg)

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Post by: Julie on January 27, 2008, 12:01:21 PM

hi

A redtail is much more likely for this time of year-- the broad wings ride south in about September or October and are considerably smaller. And dark morphs are common for red tails here-- like the west coast, and unlike  the much lighter birds you find on the prairies.


Julie

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Post by: Iain on January 27, 2008, 12:01:29 PM

Looks like a Redtail (typical plumage).  You can just see the rusty tail underneath the primaries which eliminates Broad-winged and the creamy chest is also visible which eliminates dark-morph.

Good birding,
Iain

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Post by: rgboy on January 30, 2008, 10:05:15 AM

It's hard to see his tail. But I'd say this Cooper's or Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Title: Bird ID
Post by: JTF on January 30, 2008, 10:27:38 AM

I would say a standard Red Tailed.

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Post by: BIGFRANK on January 30, 2008, 10:59:39 AM

100% Redtail...typical eastern colourations. Backs are mottled brown and white.

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Post by: Jaedon on January 30, 2008, 11:47:40 AM

Thanks guys.  I couldn't get a decent view of the tail from any angle I tried so I did my best.  Guess I can't cross off Broad Winged for this year just yet lol.  I knew the tail was definitely too short for a Coopers and the size alone (he was visible up there from almost 1.5 KM away) told me it was too big for anything other than a RT or Broad Winged.  RT it is then.