Bird Identification-- Not a chicken

[patandchickens]

LOL -- from the title of the thread I'm thinking of a bird classification system where there are only two kinds, "chicken" and "not a chicken" (my mother insists there are only 3 colors of horse, "auburn", "horse-colored" and "not horse-colored")

I am not 100% sold on the first one being a hawk but it does look more hawklike than any other kind of bird found in the *east*, anyhow. I would not be astonished if it were some Western thing we don't get out here. What size is it, compared to your 'usual hawk'?

If it is a hawk, what about a light phase Swainson's hawk (she sez, lookin' at pix in a bird book).

Turkey vultures don't harm chickens. Black vultures (which I do not think you get out in California, do you?) there are some reports of them being more predatory, I wouldn't trust them quite as far around chickens.


Pat

 

[plester01]

Isn't a Turkey Vulture pretty much the same thing as a buzzard????

 

[patandchickens]

turkey vulture and buzzard are the same animal, yes

(e.t.a - any other vulture could perfectly well be lumped under buzzard as well)

Pat

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

Your first photo looks like a Broad-Winged Hawk, likely a juvenile.

 

[Linda in San Diego]

You know that up your way there is a nesting pair of bald eagles, the location is kept secret so not too many folks go by. Could that be a juvinile?

Nope, just checked - the juvinile is brown all over. They bald eagles are nesting near Lake Henshaw.

Enjoy the raptors

We had crows chasing a small hawk around here this morning.

 

[dacjohns]

Although vultures are commonly called buzzards they are not buzzards. I am pretty sure that buzzards are an Old World bird.

The second picture is definitely a Turkey Vulture.

I am still researching the first.

 

[plester01]

you are probably right but down south here we call them buzzards

 

[dacjohns]

I can't tell for sure without a better photo and maybe some other angles but I am leaning (just barely) towards one of the light color variations of the Red-tailed Hawk.

 

[LindsayB]

looks like a falcon to me...

 

[Mahonri]

Top pic looks like your run o' the mill chicken Hawk.