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Gray Hawk Juvenile at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Thursday, April 5, 2018
Posted by Paul Bithorn
over 6 years ago
2 Comments
A Gray Hawk Juvenile was well-photographed by British birder Paul Pugh this morning, Thursday, April 5, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. Park in the south parking lot by the lighthouse and walk to the entrance of the nature trail, which is a gravel road. Walk in a northerly direction about 100 yards and look for a Dead tree with a fork to your right on the east side of the road. I have a copy of the photograph that he set me as well as a Google Map of the location that will be forthcoming. Wanted to get the word out.
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It turns out that it is a Broad-winged Hawk Juvenile, that Robin Diaz says wintered in the park. Unfortunately, Paul Pugh had no other photos. Seeing the breast would definitely have added clarity to the possible rarity. I should have said possible Gray Hawk Juvenile. He did his homework before sending it to me and felt very confident, so I posted it for him. I have only seen an adult Gray Hawk in Tombstone, Arizona and have no experience with juveniles of this species. Broad-winged Hawk was much more probable.
Thank you, Paul for getting the word out about this possible rare hawk!
This is a tough ID, especially with a known young Broad-winged Hawk (it was calling this morning) in the area. The photo and description from Brian Wheeler's _Raptors of Western North America_ may be helpful. Paul Pugh's photo is at an angle so the wing-to-tail ratio isn't precise. However, Wheeler's photo shows that young Gray Hawk wings only fall mid-tail, as opposed to Broad-winged Hawk where the wings fall just short of the tail tip. Wheeler also points out that Gray Hawk has a bright yellow cere (fleshy area at the base of the upper mandible), while Broad-winged Hawk doesn't. He also mentions that young Gray Hawks have dark barring on the secondaries, while Broad-winged immatures have solid brown secondaries.
Thank you Paul Bithorn and Paul Pugh.
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