Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: Leslie on March 12, 2010, 08:08:26 PM

Title: Hawk ID
Post by: Leslie on March 12, 2010, 08:08:26 PM

This large hawk visited the backyard (near High Park) about noon today.
At first I thought it was a female Coopers, then I guessed goshawk and now I'm really muddled.
It's probably moulting from immature to mature plumage.
It has a very pale front.
A white stripe over the eye is conspicuous in binoculars.
It looks heavy.
It walked into a narrow space and emerged with something attached to its foot (its lunch, I hope, and not something sticky that it stepped in).
In pictures, the stripe over its eye is visible but not conspicuous; however its face and nape are reddish.  These might be Coopers features.
My best (but still not great) pix, front, back, & on the ground, respectively:
http://picasaweb.google.ca/110451015447 ... 0594476002 (http://picasaweb.google.ca/110451015447920802994/PotentialGoshawk#5447887730594476002)
http://picasaweb.google.ca/110451015447 ... 3119455426 (http://picasaweb.google.ca/110451015447920802994/PotentialGoshawk#5447896473119455426)
http://picasaweb.google.ca/110451015447 ... 3119455426 (http://picasaweb.google.ca/110451015447920802994/PotentialGoshawk#5447896473119455426)
(All 13 pix are at http://picasaweb.google.ca/110451015447 ... alGoshawk# (http://picasaweb.google.ca/110451015447920802994/PotentialGoshawk#)  But the file might be large--I don't know how to compress photos yet.)
Any help appreciated.
Thanks.

Title:
Post by: Bluffs Birder on March 12, 2010, 08:23:48 PM

Hi Leslie,

You were right in thinking that it was a Cooper's Hawk.  I would say this bird is in it's moult into adulthood.  Wonderful sighting.

Walter

Title:
Post by: Leslie on March 12, 2010, 08:32:30 PM

Thanks, now I know for next time!
Leslie