jak86094 wrote:
Not 100% sure... Given the spotting on the scapulars and the barring and color of the tail, it could be a young Red-tailed Hawk or a Broad-winged Hawk, both of which would be fairly common in NE Indiana. Without being able to see the front of the bird or underside of the wings, I am limited in what I can tell. Still, I think those are your two best bets. Good luck. I'm sure someone else will be more accurate. jak
Yellow iris, small, refined bill, and rounded end of the tail peg this definitively as a juvenile Cooper’s hawk.
Although the back plumage bears similarities to that of some immature buteos, the subtle tail bands are too wide for those of a red-tail and too dark for a broad-winged.
And,IMO, it is overall far too dark for a red-shouldered ( another often involved in this quandary)of any age.