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Birding/hawk identification north central texas

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Expert: - 1/3/2011


Question

Christmas Hawk
Can you help identify this hawk? I have seen it several times in this area. This photo shows it right outside my balcony around 10am on 12/26/2010. I live in Plano, Texas.

Answer
I can't see the tail clearly but it sure looks to me like it is a Red-tailed Hawk. Red-tailed Hawks vary a lot from very light, like this one, to very dark. The key characteristic is the rusty tail in mature birds, but all birds have a darker breast band. This one has a breast band, not real distinct, but it's there, so I'm 99% sure it's a Red-tailed Hawk.

Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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