Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: thouc on December 22, 2019, 10:19:17 AM

Title: Dark phase hawk
Post by: thouc on December 22, 2019, 10:19:17 AM

I saw this dark phase Buteo hawk in Florida. Any ideas?

(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/193079851/480)

Title: Re: Dark phase hawk
Post by: Canoncan on December 22, 2019, 02:24:43 PM

I cannot see if the tail is striped, Dark Broad-winged hawks are rare on the eastern portion of their range, as would be a dark Harlan's, could be a Short-tailed Hawk where the majority of the Florida birds are Dark Morph, but I am not 100%

Title: Re: Dark phase hawk
Post by: thouc on December 23, 2019, 12:02:35 PM

The tail has a dark terminal band and no other major dark bands, so that would rule out Broad-winged Hawk (several dark bands) and Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk (all-white tail) as far as I can tell. That leaves us with Short-tailed Hawk and Rough-legged Hawk, which would be very rare, but there are a few records from central Florida on eBird. The bird was flying (possibly migrating) with Turkey Vultures, and my impression of the size was that it wasn't that much smaller, which would fit better with a Rough-legged Hawk. If I had seen it in Ontario I would definitely say Rough-legged.

/Thomas

Title: Re: Dark phase hawk
Post by: Canoncan on December 24, 2019, 08:29:30 AM

Certainly a possibility especially based on size

Title: Re: Dark phase hawk
Post by: thouc on December 25, 2019, 10:42:47 PM

It is a Short-tailed Hawk, which is a new lifer for me, according to the eBird reviewer in the area.

Title: Re: Dark phase hawk
Post by: Canoncan on December 29, 2019, 02:01:59 PM

That is great news for you. All my  years spending time there, I have yet to see one

Title: Re: Dark phase hawk
Post by: thouc on December 29, 2019, 03:50:15 PM

Yes, I was lucky to see one and get a photo of it, otherwise it wouldn't have been identified.

Thanks for you input.