Can You Identify This Hawk/Falcon

[MBCook]

I have been living in Eastern Kansas for about 6 years now and I see this bird quite often on trees/signs/lights/etc by the highway. I don't know what it is and was hoping someone could identify it. The object it is sitting on in this (terrible) picture is a streetlight. Can someone tell me what this is? I've been trying to get a better picture. I got this one as a quick one-off shot and before I could set things up to get a better shot (including adjusting settings), he flew off into the trees where I couldn't follow him.

Picture:

http://www.foobarsoft.com/hawk.jpg

[kornhauser]

The lighting is very poor.

However, based on the broadness of the wings, approximate size and the looks of the talons, I say red-tailed hawk.

Without seeing color bandings or the face, it's very difficult to tell. I'm putting money on that it's not a peregrine falcon. The chest appears much too large.

I spent eight years volunteering at the Carolina Raptor Center in Charlotte, NC. Taking care of injuried birds of prey.

[MBCook]

Thanks. I've been trying to get a better shot, but I was lucky to get that (as terrible as the lighting was, that is after adjustment so it isn't just a pure black silhouette).

They apparently are quite camera shy. :)

[kornhauser]

Quite welcome.

I switched computers (I was at work when I posted) to my home computer with much better graphics. I lightened up the picture.

It is a red-tailed hawk. It's still in it's juvenile stages based on the darker colors around it's neck. Right now I'd bet the the tail feathers still are banded, meaning that their still striped in appearance. As he gets older than 1 1/2 to 2 year old, he'll develop the distinctive red tail band.

Also, I say "he", but my guess it's a female by the broadness of her chest.

Raptors are my favorite. To me it's like comparing a jet to a paper airplane.

[eyelab]

My g/f's ... Friend's ... Sister captures them and trains them to hunt. I got to see one up close for the first time in my life and they are absolutly beautiful birds. She is going to let me come with her sometime in Novemeber to go hunting with it. Hopefully I can get some great shots of in flight and hopefully bombing in on prey.

She had a female. Not even a year I don't think. Was already huge. The Talons on these things are absolutly amazing. Now I can see why people say to watch your small dogs and cats in the back yard :P We get a few that circle above our neighborhood. We live out backed up to some fields and if you got just another few miles south, nothing but open farm land. They are all over.

kornhauser, I can see your love for these birds. I really do enjoy just watching them circle around. Never having to flap their wings. They can glide for some distances just circicling and looking for something to eat. I have found myself spending an hour outside just watching them.

[eaglssong]

I believe this is a Red Tailed Hawk that I shot at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island Florida several years ago. Might help you with identification. :)

http://pic8.picturetrail.com/VOL237/1412217/2690909/69559884.jpg

[MBCook]

That looks quite a bit like one. I've never gotten a very good view, I tend to see them from a large distance sitting on a top tree limb by the highway or a road sign. The closest I ever got was when I was at a stop sign and one flew down and landed right on top. I was like 5 feet away and that was one of the few times I didn't have my camera with me. I wanted to kick myself over that, as I've been trying to get a good picture of one for quite a while.

Thanks for all the help guys. If I ever get a good shot, I'll post in.

In the mean time (and on a massive side note) I just added 20 new photos to my website.

I'm off to read Wikipedia about these birds. Maybe there'll be something there that will help me find a good spot to shoot these birds from. Glad I bought that tele-converter, I think I'll need it.