Comments on: Red-shouldered/Red-tailed Hawk Hybrid?

By: DavidDavid

DavidDavid — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:33:00 +0000

I think it’s two Hawks..and both Red Shouldered…one a juvenile and the other an adult. The juvenile feathers look a bit like a Red Tail…at least hereabouts where I’ve had the good fortune to get pics of both!

DavidDavid

By: Hooch

Hooch — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:40:00 +0000

As we speak I have the same species in my backyard right now…I’m convinced its a red shouldered hawk…but there are some differences. These photos are being taken right now. I cleared out my freezer the day before, and came across a large 2 year old steak. I tossed it in the backyard to hopefully spot some coyotes on my night-vision. As I looked out beside my slider…to my surprise…was this hawk. I live in Columbia Connecticut on Columbia Lake. As I take this shot, its noonish, overcast and 47 degrees F. If you need/want more info/pics…e-mail me at B4theShow@msn.com

By: birdchick

birdchick — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:40:00 +0000

Interesting to see someone argue with Sibley.

How do you explain the call not being a broad-winged call?

By: I (heart) Raptors

I (heart) Raptors — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 03:00:00 +0000

It is a dark morph Broad Wing Hawk. The darkies are rare! Broad Wings are very similar to immature Red Tails. There several Falconers that have owned Broad Wings and swore they were Red Tails. It is not a hybrid sorry.

By: birdchick

birdchick — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:32:00 +0000

Here is a link to the archives of Frontiers of Field Identification. Scroll down and you can read comments on the red-tail/red-shouldered hybrid.

By: Julie in VT

Julie in VT — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 08:48:00 +0000

Judy– two people have insisted to me directly that the bird is pure red-tail; one gave a great deal of detail but it included some detail that was incorrect. I.e., he referenced some marks that do not actually exist on the bird that were actually just lighting effects which only show up on one picture, but in direct observation and in most of the other pictures, don’t exist.

In another case, I got told it was a red-tail by someone who gave me no detail as to why but said he hadn’t listened to the bird’s call. I’ve asked people to have this conversation in public so we can have a better conversation about it, but very few have done so. I think this is partially my fault because I’ve been very direct about challenging birders who are much more experienced than I am when they insist that it’s just an unusual red-tail, so I can understand that a few of them are a bit fed up with me by now

By: Judy

Judy — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 23:01:00 +0000

If there’s further discussion on your experts’ ID list about this bird, do you think you could post it? It’s quite a puzzle, with very knowledgeable people vehemently insisting the bird is a RS, an RT or a hybrid. I don’t get the idea of a pure RT having essentially no patagial marks, no hint of a bellyband as an immature, and a thick tail band, but I’d like to hear more from my betters.

By: Susan Gets Native

Susan Gets Native — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0000

I am leaving this one up to peeps with more know-how!
A very cool, intriguing bird.

By: birdchick

birdchick — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 23:04:00 +0000

Hi Julie,

Thanks so much for giving us some clarification on this interesting raptor. Keep up to date on anything else you find.

leanne,

Your bird in the photo is a female American kestrel.

By: Leanne

Leanne — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 22:33:00 +0000

(try this link)

Sorry for hogging up your comments! I hope you find him interesting. More importantly, I hope you know what he is!