What kind of hawk is this? pic heavy

[ccshambhala]

that does NOT look like a red shoulder hawk to me (we have one on our fence every morning).... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-shouldered_Hawk lucky you tho!! GORGEOUS bird - I feel lucky just to see it (and nice that your chickens are safe!!) lovely mural too!

 

[luvinrunnin]

Quote:
Same here. I love to see the different wildlife, including and especially the raptors. We have a group of red shouldered hawks that live around here and one year had one sit on a fence post for quite a while. We got some similar pics to yours. I think they are amazing! But then again, all my chickens are kept in covered pens.

 

[fatsu]

my guess is a baby redtail hawk

 

[deserthens]

Looks like a Sharp shinned or Coopers hawk. Most of the hawks we see in AZ are Red tail hawk (this does not look like one). Looks like the same type of hawk that took down a pigeon in my yard this spring. Glad to here your girls are safe!
check this site for photos & description- http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/sharp-shinned_hawk/id

 

[danischi24]

It's a baby whatever it is which combined with being wet, is probably why he wouldn't fly off & let you so close.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Looks too big to be a Cooper or Sharp Shinned.


Here is Coop - "our hawk"

He is not much bigger than a pigeon. Our birds hardly even look twice at him now.



We do have a nesting Golden Eagle in our "back yard" - up the mountain - they have one baby this year. They really get the birds going when they do a fly over

 

[teach1rusl]

Whatever type of hawk he/she was, it was both gorgeous AND smart - I think it read the sign on your coop and took that as an open invitation...lol. It's gotta' make you feel good to have such a secure looking coop

 

[gjensen]

I ruled out Sharp Shinned hawks by size. Females don't get over 13". This bird is around 18" long. I used the 1.5" board the bird is standing on as a scale reference. Coopers females can get that big, but would be a big one. Both Coopers and Sharp Shinned Hawks have narrower tails than what I think this one has. They also tend to have tails marked with more distinct bands. This bird is marked with a more barred type pattern on the tail. I am not able to see all of the tail however. Cooper's and Sharp Shinned Hawks do not tend to have darkened patagial markings that many red tails do have. Red Tails vary widely in appearance especially where their sub species ranges overlap. There is also dark morphs, light morphs etc. Again I am no expert, these were just my thoughts. Regardless you took good pictures, and it is a beautiful birds.

 

[featherbaby]

What a magnificent bird! I am so glad you got good close-up pics of it. A once in a lifetime opportunity to see this creature up close and personal.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Fantastic pictures! My guess is that it is a Ferruginous hawk. They look a lot like Red Tailed hawks, except the tail is white underneath. Although, it could be a juvenile Red Tailed and the season would be right.