View Full Version : What kind of bird is this???
2011_thruhiker
12-24-2008, 16:22
Can anyone tell me what kind of bird this is? I think it is some sort of immature eagle.....
Location: George Washington National Forest near Fulks Run, VA,
He was about 2 feet tall with a wing span of about 6 feet min. This was taken a few weeks ago while hiking. I wish I had a better picture, but the one I have was difficult to get to begin with as he was gone with the slightest off-sounding noise.
That's a red-tailed hawk. They're usually found in open places (fields, roadsides, etc.), but sometimes in winter they hang out in the woods.
buckwheat
12-24-2008, 16:59
I'd say at a glance that's a Cooper's Hawk. Doubtful that it had a 6-foot wingspan.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Coopers_Hawk.html
Click on learn about raptors (http://hawkmountain.org/index.php?pr=Raptor_Life_History) for information provided by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. See in particular red-tailed hawk (http://hawkmountain.org/media/Redtail.pdf). To test your raptor identification skills, click on raptor ID quiz (http://hawkmountain.org/index.php?pr=Rapter_ID_Quiz).
Just in case anyone's still wondering, I'll have you know there are some serious birders at Hawk Mountain! (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=18643)
bigcranky
12-24-2008, 17:30
Red tail. The white chest with the barring across the middle is pretty distinctive.
2011_thruhiker
12-24-2008, 21:37
Ok.....so it isn't an eagle and doesn't have a six foot wing span, but god he is still gorgeous and an amazing sight to see...And I am glad just to know what he was...
bigcranky
12-24-2008, 22:30
If you gol to SOG's photo of the birders, and look one image to the left, you'll see a nice closeup of a red tailed hawk, with a good view of the chest area.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=18644&c=
2011_thruhiker
12-24-2008, 22:46
Yep, it's a beauty. Thank you for all the great info!
If you go to SOG's photo of the birders, and look one image to the left, you'll see a nice closeup of a red tailed hawk, with a good view of the chest area.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=18644&c=
Credit both images to Wise Old Owl.
Audubon Pennsylvania (http://pa.audubon.org/) recently contacted BMECC to request assistance with increasing public awareness about Kittatinny Ridge IBA (http://pa.audubon.org/kittatinny/), a migratory route of global significance not only for raptors but other birds as well. For more details related to Audubon's efforts to conserve Blue Mountain, read their Conservation Plan for the Kittatinny Ridge in Pennsylvania (http://pa.audubon.org/PDFs/KittatinnyConservationPlan-Apr2007.pdf).
Since limited opportunities exist for posting signs or providing other educational materials on or near the A.T. and hikers may benefit from knowing about it before visiting, I wanted to sieze this opportunity to call Audubon's efforts to the attention of this thread's readers. I hope everyone will learn something new about Kittatinny Ridge IBA today and share with others what they have learned.
Everyone who lives near Kittatinny Ridge and even those who may never visit should do their part to help conserve this resource which only becomes more valuable with the passing of time. People who live nearby have a particularly important role to play. To find out how you can help, click on http://pa.audubon.org/kittatinny/what_you_can_do.html