Red tailed hawk ID ???

[kickback]

I saw this red tailed hawk this morning at Big Johnson reservoir in El Paso County. It looks like it could be a Krider's due to all of the white on its head but I would appreciate some comments on this.

This is the best picture I was able to get of it:

http://www.avoapples.com/birds/_MG_0238_cr.jpg

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Bill

bill_...@msn.com

Colorado Springs

[Ira Sanders]

Here is an opinion from an Illinios birder on Bill Kosar's Red-tail.

On Monday, November 10, 2014 7:04 AM, Geoffrey Williamson <geoffrey....@comcast.net> wrote:

My opinion would not be very expert. I have only recently tried to get a good handle on these Red-tailed Hawk forms. The extensive underpart markings on this bird seem to be a strike against Krider's though.  I would think that you would have to consider light-morph Harlan's but maybe the reddish tail is problematic for that. There is this concept of an "Eastern/Krider's intergrade," and I would not be surprised if the experts settle on that as a label for this individual.  Hope you get some more informed views. Try Fraker and Berardi.

Best,
Geoff

[Ira Sanders]

And one more observation:

On Monday, November 10, 2014 12:24 PM, Vic Berardi <vbir...@aol.com> wrote:

Hi Jeff,

Without getting a good look at the tail, the back and the undersides I don't want to call this a juvenile light morph Harlan's Hawk.  But the head pattern looks to be a Harlan's.  But honestly, I don't know enough to completely rule out a Krider's/Eastern either.  Sorry, best I could do.  What did the others say?

Vic

[David Wade]

T

[David Wade]

The Big Johnson hawk looks very similar to this hawk ( https://www.flickr.com/photos/aphelionart/15572392760/ ) seen Oct 18 at Barr Lake SP by Cathy from Aphelion Art. My two cents is it's a Harlan's  or Harlan's cross.

David Wade

Ft Collins CO

On Sunday, November 9, 2014 3:40:50 PM UTC-7, kickback wrote: