Beginner birder: please name this bird seen around my home the last 2 days

[Vara Vissa]

Hello,

I took a few pictures of this bird seen around my home and the surrounding prairie.  (I don't have a large zoom lens)

A friend told me it is a red-tailed hawk. I want to start using technical vocabulary as I spend more time looking out at birds. 

I live immediately southeast of the Fort Collins landfill. 

Thanks, 

Vara

[Peter Ruprecht]

Vara,

It's definitely a Red-tailed Hawk.  Some good field marks visible in your photos are the darkish head contrasting with the white upper breast, the "belly band" of darker splotches, the light feathers on the scapulars (ie, feathers on the back of the shoulders), and the hint of the red upper side of the tail seen in the flight shot.

When you're looking at a flying Red-tailed from below, watch for the dark "patagial marks", which are on the underside of the leading edge of the wings between the shoulder and the wrist.

It's a great bird to become familiar with because it's quite common along the Front Range and plains.  But even though we see them fairly often, they never get boring!

Peter Ruprecht

Superior

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[Joe Roller]

Welcome, Vara, to the great pastime of birding!

And thanks for the photos of what I think is an adult Red-tailed Hawk. It even has 

a red tail.

As a beginning birder, you have it all before you - so much to learn and enjoy!

The Fort Collins Audubon Society hosts great field trips, but they are on hold for now,

due to the "you-know-what" virus.

Perhaps someone from the Fort Collins Audubon Society can invite you to meet at a local 

Open Space or hotspot for a stroll to look at some birds together (safely, of course).

There is no substitute for being "taken under a wing" of someone more experienced,

who can guide you along. 

Best of luck,

Joe Roller, Denver

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[Vara Vissa]

Thank you  Cinnamon, Peter, Jam, Joe, and Cobirders,

Great- Red-tailed hawk it is! I will try to retain, apply and expand on this knowledge.

Thank you for your encouragement. I will reach out to local birders. 

The following may be too common for you; they have become my new friends. I don't have names for them yet. The water feature outside my window is my new TV screen.

I haven't seen the blue/purple bird again- it has been several weeks. 

[Caleb A]

Hi Vara!

Those are some great backyard birds! The first two photos are of House Finches. The males are very pretty with their bright red color pattern. Females don't show red, and juvenile birds have a very large variety of plumages. Their long, slurpy songs are also fun to hear.

The 3rd and 5th photos are of a Western Meadowlark. They have a very iconic song that you can hear all over the place once you know it. Although they don't look like it, Meadowlarks are in the blackbird family!

The blue and orange bird is an adult male Blue Grosbeak.

I'm a little less sure about the last picture, but I know that the bird on the far left is a Brown-headed Cowbird.

The birds are happy, and so am i

~Caleb Alons, Larimer County