Is it a falcon?

[Jryan]

I took pictures of what I think could be a falcon Long Pond Rd. between the Ontario Parkway and Edgemere Drive the other day. We tried to see if it had a band, but couldn't. Is it a falcon? My family thinks it might be a hawk. It was quite large.
Could someone help me post the pictures? I tried to attach them, but it didn't work. I have them in my Kodak Easy Share on my computer.
Thanks in advance,
Judy

[Donna]

I took pictures of what I think could be a falcon Long Pond Rd. between the Ontario Parkway and Edgemere Drive the other day. We tried to see if it had a band, but couldn't. Is it a falcon? My family thinks it might be a hawk. It was quite large.
Could someone help me post the pictures? I tried to attach them, but it didn't work. I have them in my Kodak Easy Share on my computer.
Thanks in advance,
Judy

Did you try clicking addition options under your post, then browse button and look for your easy share folder? Should work. If not let us know and we'll get them up for you.

[Jryan]

I will try again. I moved 2 pictures to my desktop...

[Jryan]

Hoping this worked!

[Jryan]

Yay! Here's another. I have a few more. Can I send multiples?

Judy

[Aafke]

I don't think it is a falcon! 
greetings Aafke

[Aafke]

yes you can send more pictures in one post.
  greetings Aafke

[Jryan]

I wonder what it can be?
Thanks,
Judy

[Aafke]

I think it's a hawk but don't know what kind.
The pictures are very nice,
You are very lucky to see such beautiful bird.


  maybe a red-tailed hawk?
greetings Aafke

[Dumpsterkitty]

I wonder what it can be?
Thanks,
Judy

Hi Judy-

A juvie Red Tail Hawk for sure!  Compare to this one...



This is a photo of the surviving juvie Red Tail hatched in Riverside Park NYC taken by Lincoln Karim and posted on his Pale Male website

Note the pale chest, dark belly band and light eyes-the eyes darken as the bird matures.

Nice pictures of a beautiful bird!

[Jryan]

Thanks! He sure was big. My hubby estimates that it was at least 20 to 22 inches sitting on that pole. He did swooped down into a lot near us and got some lunch. My daughter tried to get a good picture of it eating but it came out quite blurry...
Great to know what it is though. We see them flying but never saw one so close.
Judy

[Jryan]

Here's the last one. Sorry I tried to put 2 on together, but it didn't work. The last picture is lunch.
Judy

[Dumpsterkitty]

A couple of other clues...if it's sitting on a pole, it's likely a red tail-it's their favorite hunting perch.  Hunting on the edge of a grassy field and a road and/or the edge between a mowed and unmowed section of grass just like your picture, it's likely a redtail.  They watch for movement in the taller grass waiting for the mouse or vole or whatever to come out into the open and pounce.  Some days it seems about every other pole along the road on my way to work has a red tail on it...makes driving tough sometimes 

[Judi]

A couple of other clues...if it's sitting on a pole, it's likely a red tail-it's their favorite hunting perch.  Hunting on the edge of a grassy field and a road and/or the edge between a mowed and unmowed section of grass just like your picture, it's likely a redtail.  They watch for movement in the taller grass waiting for the mouse or vole or whatever to come out into the open and pounce.  Some days it seems about every other pole along the road on my way to work has a red tail on it...makes driving tough sometimes 

And two more clues to identifying a red tail - that creamy white chest and streaky belly band is their trademark marking, plus if you see them in the air but can't see the red tail (from sun reflection) look at the under part of the wing - it has what looks like a comma at approx. mid-point on their wings.

Our western birds are a bit darker than the eastern RTH's so it's a bit more difficult to ID the belly band but the commas (patagial markings) are a dead give-away!

Judi

P. S.  Congrats on your first post, Judy!   

[Dumpsterkitty]

Judi-who was it who described a red tail as looking like a white football from the front when it perches on a pole?  Was it Siobhan?  Anyway, she's where I learned about the patagial markings...

Judy-as Judi said, the wing markings in flight are a dead giveaway.  In this picture (also by Lincoln at Pale Male)  the dark area on the leading edge of the wing from (as I think of it to remember it) the "shoulder" to the "elbow" is the comma shaped patagial mark



Also interesting to note are the 2 sets of shorter primary wing feathers...they're growing in after the annual molt...they lose them in symmetrical pairs in a defined order...the ones near mid wing are further along than the ones toward the tips.  I'm pretty sure this is Lola-her belly band is much darker than Pale Male.