Hawk ID

[bsinc1962]

Saw this guy in the Tetons this morning. My Merlin App gives me three possibilities.

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[Butlerkid]

I really like how you captured the subtle colors on its face!

 

[bsinc1962]

I really like how you captured the subtle colors on its face!

Thanks Karen. It was totally unphased by me. Maybe because where I was standing was loaded with Black Bear scat. Probably waiting for me to become lunch. lol

 

[Louis Champan]

Nice shot Bill and I'd say it's a Red Tail Hawk.

 

[bsinc1962]

Nice shot Bill and I'd say it's a Red Tail Hawk.

Thanks Louie!

 

[Baywing]

Going by the shape of the head and beak, I'd guess it's a Merlin. No visual clues as to size, so that makes it a challenge. Thought it might be an immature Coopers but the head/beak isn't right for that nor a redtail, sharp-shinned. Body shape/color doesn't look right for a red shouldered. A kestral has bigger/buggier eyes.

 

[bsinc1962]

I would say it was about a foot tall.

 

[Baywing]

That would fit, likely a female so she would be on the larger side for the type.

 

[bsinc1962]

That would fit, likely a female so she would be on the larger side for the type.

Any thoughts on the eye color? All the Merlin pics I could find online have black eyes. This one doesn't. Besides the eye color the rest of the bird is spot on for a Merlin.

 

[Baywing]

Could be a juvie. Not every bird fits neatly into the catelogue. I'm kinda guessing by process of elimination. I can tell you better what it isn't! It's not an osprey, either! ;^)

 

[Baywing]

I suppose it could be a juvie sharp shinned. The head doesn't look right where it transitions to the beak but the color and tail feather patterns match decently. Would explain the eye color as well.

 

[bsinc1962]

Thoughts on it being a juvenile Northern Goshawk?

 

[Baywing]

I don't think so, they don't get the gray in the tail feathers until year 2 and by then the eye color is different. The head doesn't look right either, the goshawk seems to have a gradual slope to the beak, more buteo-like.

 

[Baywing]

You could always post it on an Audubon Face Book page, probably have an answer in minutes.

 

[vinman]

I’m going with juvenile Ferruginous Hawk - Light Morph. The range and field marks line up.

 

[fishbio]

After much searching and hand wringing, I've settled on juvenile Sharp-shinned for this one.

 

[vinman]

After much searching and hand wringing, I've settled on juvenile Sharp-shinned for this one.

The range and field marks also match that one. Too bad we don’t have a better feel for the scale.

 

[bsinc1962]

The range and field marks also match that one. Too bad we don’t have a better feel for the scale.

It was about a foot tall. Not a small bird.

 

[fishbio]

Any thoughts on the eye color? All the Merlin pics I could find online have black eyes. This one doesn't. Besides the eye color the rest of the bird is spot on for a Merlin.

except wings too short, no thin white supercilium, terminal dark band on tail too narrow.

 

[vinman]

It was about a foot tall. Not a small bird.

At 12ish inches, it definitely falls more in line with a sharpy. The Ferruginous Hawk is close to double that size.