What hawk?

[Ron Sprunger]

Thanks everyone for the help with the Swainson's Hawk. This morning I found this fellow perched on a dead tree near Utah Lake. Had to shoot him from the car, lest he bolt. I can't find any hawk in my guide with that beautiful buff bib. If it weren't for that, I might be thinking juv. Cooper's. Any help on this one would be appreciated. Out of frustration, I just ordered Sibley's and Nat Geo guides for future reference, but I'd like to put a label on him now.

I'd estimate his length at about 18", slim body, very upright posture.
Nikon D7000 and 200-400mm f/4 with 2x at 550mm
f/5.6, 1/500, 250 ISO, Aperture priority +1 ev, distance 29.9 m

98260

[Roy Priest]

This is the ubiquitous Redtailed Hawk. They come in all flavours and sizes.

[Ron Sprunger]

No kidding? Hey, thanks a lot. Can you tell me what makes it so definite? In my old "American Bird Conservancy's Field Guide", I can see that he pretty well matches the Western Form illustrations, though they don't show that rich bib. But face and eye color look right. The smaller size, slimness, and upright posture made me think it couldn't be a red-tail, even though I couldn't find any other illustration that came close.

[John Chardine]

Ron- One of the tell-tail signs for a Red-tail is the dark band across the lower breast.

[Mack Hicks]

I am far from an expert, but looks more like a red-shouldered hawk to me. Smoker and smaller than the red-tailed I am used to seeing.

[Ron Sprunger]

We're not supposed to have red-shouldered in northern Utah, and this definitely doesn't look like the red-shouldered I observed in Florida. I'm buying the red-tail id, in spite of the smaller than expected size. Eye color and facial coloring seems to me not to come close to any other species we have here. Thanks for the input, Mack.

[John Chardine]

As I mentioned above, note the dark band across the lower breast of this bird. Red-shouldereds do not have this in any plumage I have ever seen. Ron- FL RSHAs are really pale and quite different to ones further north or in CA. Red-taileds, like many Buteo hawks are highly variable and can be very confusing. The lack of red on the tail suggests a young bird.