Posted by Gary Potter (152.163.201.176) on May 13, 2000 at 23:10:08:
In Reply to: hawks posted by David Fix on May 03, 2000 at 15:28:41:
I agree that the underparts of this hawk do not appear to show the checkered pattern of western Red-shouldered Hawk. In my original post I guessed that this was a RSHA, and I still think that it resembles the Eastern subspecies, B. l. lineatus in many ways. However, after reading the posts by others, I have taken a closer look. The undertail coverts should have some streaking on RSHA rather than the all white shown on this bird. I also think that the face pattern is not striking enough for Gray Hawk but is o.k. for both Broad-winged and eastern Red-shouldered. On closer inspection of the tail, there appears to be about 4 narrow dark bars on a lighter (but not much) background--a point which I overlooked the first time I studied this bird. This barring would seem to eliminate both immature Red-shouldered and Gray Hawk, but would be o.k. for immature Broad-winged. Therefore I am now leaning toward going with the crowd in calling this most likely an immature Broad-winged. By the way, was this picture taken in California? To my knowledge there have been no acceptable records of Gray Hawk in California, and the range of Eastern Red-shouldered would make them unlikely to show up here either!