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Unidentified large hawk
Posted by Kurt d.
almost 7 years ago
5 Comments
Saw a large hawk today and I am unable to positively identify. Struck me as a very large red tail. However chest was pure white, no band at all. Solid colored light tail, did not get a hint of red but did not see it backlit. It was on the ground eating a small iguana. It flew south with the Iguana when I disturbed it. Was it just an extremely light red tail? Or does it match up to something that I'm not familiar with?
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Hey Kurt, Hard to say as the markings you describe wouldn't add up for any typical raptor in the Americas that I'm familiar with let alone an expected FL species. E.g. light Short-tailed Hawks are always all light below and young Broad-wingeds can at times be unstreaked (however the latter would not likely be eating Iguana) that said NEITHER of these would really show a "light tail" You'd expect both to be brown on the top at least. I assume no images. Given the description, this could possibly be a dilute plumage or partially leucistic Red-tailed as well. But would be impossible to say without an image or more details on structure, etc.
Not a broad wing or a short tail, much too large. I drove up on it without seeing it, until it stood up. Everything about it said redtail, except the pure white underparts, and I got a real good look at that. I found some pics on line today with super reduced banding, I'm pretty sure it was just a dilute redtail. Tail was buffy, no markings, but I had no angle to see it backlit. Very pretty bird.
There are pics online of possible krider's/eastern hybrids that would match almost perfectly, assuming my bird had a reddish tail. So redtails exist with white chests. Because the bird was huge, I'd guess redtail, just a nice one.
this person found a number of redtails almost identical to mine, in palm beach. I had never seen a krider like redtail, or knew we had them here. Shorebirder: Wintering Red-tailed Hawks in southern Florida
http://www.shorebirder.com/2013/02/wintering-red-tailed-hawks-in-southern.html?m=1
Witnessed a pair of large Falcons scanning the grassy ground at moorman farnsley farm in Louisville Kentucky. I often spot Falcons in the area, but not hunting in pairs.
As I perused the pair, the larger of the two broke off and flew my way. At first glance, I thought they were red-tailed Hawks, but as the raptor turned away in a circular manuver, I marvelled at the robin red along it's entire brest. There were also telltale red along it's wingspan and tail.
Initially, I assumed it was a red-tailed halk,
But never in my life have I witnessed the bright red along it's entire length of it's underbelly.
Any insight on your part would be most appreciated .
Kelly Hynes
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