Eagle or Hawk???
Feb 24, 2012 22:55:28 #
I shot this bird today from what was well over 1/4 mile away and am still not sure exactly what it is. All the white tells me it is a hawk, but the beak, talons and size tell me it has to be an eagle, but I shoot a LOT of eagles and have never seen this kind of coloring at any time. I put the camera down to grab the spotting scope for a better view and it flew off while I watched. Its wing underside was almost totally white with very few dark spots, and its back was totally white and the back of the wings was very mottled dark brown and white. Definitely was not an Osprey. I am including the original shot at 500mm (750mm in 35mm equivalent) to demonstrate the distance, as well as a crop to better show the bird. This one has me guessing today.
Any good guesses?
Any good guesses?
Long distance
Close crop
Feb 24, 2012 23:01:24 #
Feb 24, 2012 23:05:20 #
nchawkguy wrote:
Looks like a very light headed red tailed hawk. Taken in midwest?
No, it was much larger than a red-tail, I shoot them regularly, and this tail is pure white.
Shot in Montana
Red tailed hawk
Feb 24, 2012 23:14:28 #
Redtails can vary quite a bit.
It could be a very light immature rough-legged hawk. Their heads are typically very light and they do have a light colored tail. The thing that made me think otherwise was the feet are pretty large for a roughleg. ( They come in light and a dark phase that is solid dark all over.) The adults have a very dark belly, and it typically shows in the immature as darker than your bird. Did you have any other pix good or bad?
It could be a very light immature rough-legged hawk. Their heads are typically very light and they do have a light colored tail. The thing that made me think otherwise was the feet are pretty large for a roughleg. ( They come in light and a dark phase that is solid dark all over.) The adults have a very dark belly, and it typically shows in the immature as darker than your bird. Did you have any other pix good or bad?
Feb 24, 2012 23:21:15 #
Just researched rough-legged hawk and all the photos I can find show it with much darker coloring, especially on the back and the top of the wings.
Feb 24, 2012 23:25:35 #
Feb 24, 2012 23:53:08 #
You might have a white phase Gyrfalcon or a juvenile gray phase. If you describe it as larger than a red tail, that fits in. Your description of the back and wings fits also. the moustache that the bird appears to have says falconiforme. Gyrfalcons are scarce to begin with, white phase even more so. get in touch with the local Audubon Society, I'll bet they'll be interested.
Feb 25, 2012 00:04:21 #
birdpix wrote:
You might have a white phase Gyrfalcon. If you describe it as larger than a red tail, that fits in. Your description of the back and wings fits also. the moustache that the bird appears to have says falconiforme. Gyrfalcons are scarce to begin with, white phase even more so. get in touch with the local Audubon Society, I'll bet they'll be interested.
After researching the Gyrfalcon I found several pictures that fit this bird to a "T" coloring wise. I have to say that is what this is except for one oddity. Every picture I could find showed the Gyrfalcon with white or light grey feet. This bird clearly has the yellow feet typical of an eagle. More questions than answers here I think. I may just have an unusually colored immature eagle. I shoot this area weekly for Red tailed hawks as well as eagles but have never seen this bird or one like it in all the years I have shot here. I can only hope I get lucky enough to find him again and get a better shot.
Feb 25, 2012 00:16:19 #
MT Shooter wrote:
quote=birdpix You might have a white phase Gyrfal... (show quote)
Gyrfalcons CAN have yellow legs and feet. They can range in color from very dark to very light. Get in touch with a birder in the area, They would love to see it! This information comes from the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology. This bird does not show an eagles beak nor head size to me.
Feb 25, 2012 00:19:08 #
birdpix wrote:
quote=MT Shooter quote=birdpix You might have a ... (show quote)
I wish we had an Audubon society wing here, the only one in the phone book has a Seattle phone number listed. Thanks for the help.
Feb 25, 2012 09:52:45 #
I finally found one pic of a Gyrfalcon with yellow legs. Now if this were a Gyrfalcon, and rare, a better photo would be a mission of mine.
Feb 25, 2012 10:17:21 #
Feb 25, 2012 10:19:12 #
I have been shooting eagles and hawks in this same area for almost 40 years. Its not hard.
Feb 25, 2012 10:21:22 #
Feb 25, 2012 10:53:03 #
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