TBPJr Loc: South Carolina

This smallish hawk was perched on the crossbar holding gourds put out for swifts near a small pond (in hopes they will eat all the mosquitoes) on my home golf course today. Initially, I didn't see him--I was looking at a pair of blue jays that were trying to run him off (I realized after he was pointed out to me by my playing partner). What attracted me to the jays was that they landed in a tree very close to me, and I couldn't see any blue--they appeared gray. The hawk was not vocalizing--I think he was mouth-breathing to try and control his temperature, as the heat was miserable today. This picture is one of ten or twelve. This was my first time seeing a red-shouldered hawk, as far as I know; I have never been successful at capturing the red-tailed hawks that nest here.

For those interested: Canon 5DS R on a monopod, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, Extender EF 1.4X III, at 560mm, f/9, 1/400 sec., ISO 1600, EC +.7; cropped and adjusted in PSE 14. I probably would not have used exposure compensation if I had had a little more time--I was set up to try and capture a flier.

(Download)

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Very nice capture, sorry that I cannot confirm your ID.

Bruce M Loc: Northern Utah

Looks like a Coopers Hawk

lxu532 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Great shot!!

Dave327 Loc: Duluth, GA. USA

It is a immature hawk - Hard to ID, but tend towards a Red Shouldered.

shutterhawk Loc: Cape Cod

You are correct. That is an adult Red-shouldered Hawk. If it were immature it's breast would be brown streaked. The red-orange breast is a clear sign of adulthood. Nice capture,

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

Hereford Loc: Palm Coast, FL

Yup, a red shouldered hawk. Beautiful bird.

TBPJr Loc: South Carolina

Thanks.

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Very nice. I am not positive, but I think you are correct. Ity doesn't look like a Coopers to me.

TBPJr Loc: South Carolina

My monitor is not calibrated (recently, at least); the colors I see in my picture above are a little more vibrant than I saw. But when I looked up a Cooper's hawk, it had solid-colored wings, instead of the checkerboard pattern on this bird and the identification pictures in Merlin for a red-shouldered hawk. I'm pretty satisfied.

Thanks.