I can't find an online photo that matches the photo I took today with my new 70-200L. Red Tails are a dominant type in the area, but I don't think this is even a juvenile RTH. My best guess is a juv. Red Shoulder but I am not an ornithologist. This is as close as I was allowed to approach. CC a benefit

tail does not look long enough for a sharp-shinned or coopers --- possibly a northern goshawk or juvenile red-shouldered (florida)

Gerald

Nice shot, I'm going to say its a RTH.

I think the juvenile red-shouldered is a good guess. Where are you located?

I'm guessing a juvi red shouldered, the teardrop plumage on it's breast is more apt to be RS as the red tailed usually has more centralized banding on it's breast.
Herb

I did some searching as well and the only thing that keeps throwing me off is how thin the legs are.

How about a Swainson's? a juvenile? Just a guess

The thin legs originally made me think Accipiter, but the striping on the breast as well as the coloration didn't seem consistent.

KINGOFKNGS wrote:
I think the juvenile red-shouldered is a good guess. Where are you located?

The location was along an old dirt farm road in the town of Lebanon CT, which is in the middle of the Eastern half of the state. On Sunday we had seen 5 birds in the air hunting about a half mile up the hill, but never really had an opportunity for close evaluation. Below is the only vaguely usable crop from Sunday..... mike

that bird in flight is a red-tail

Gerald

With the slight hint of marbled pattern on the outer wings and the light vertical striping on the chest leads me to believe it's an immature RSH and consistent with some of the reference photos I have to support it.

Look at the 3rd photo on this page - pretty close match if you were to ask me....

RSH @ Cornell Labs

However, I am ornithologically challenged with my burd IDs and it could be pijun for all I know

Ken

Mr Zoom wrote:
With the slight hint of marbled pattern on the outer wings and the light vertical striping on the chest leads me to believe it's an immature RSH and consistent with some of the reference photos I have to support it.

Look at the 3rd photo on this page - pretty close match if you were to ask me....

RSH @ Cornell Labs

However, I am ornithologically challenged with my burd IDs and it could be pijun for all I know

Ken

DING, DING, DING, I believe we have a winner here! The 3rd photo looks like a dead on match.

Thanks to everyone who furthered the discussion. It would seem that the RSH at least is a strong possibility based on the range maps. I don't know if the last crop will add info or add confusion, but here it is. Again thanks to everyone for your help. mike

Based on the last picture. I would have to say this is in fact a RSH.

Keith

the bird in flight and the first photo are not the same bird. Note the dark belly band on the bird in flight - not present in the first image. I agree that the first bird could easily be a RSH (the head is too small for a red-tail) - but the bird in flight is a red-tail. RSH do not have those dark wrist areas from the underneath view.

Gerald

Gerald I did not mean to suggest that the bird in flight was the same as the bird in # 1 & 3.{ 1 & 3 are the same bird} They were photographed on seperate days. Since I am not an ornithologist I was trying to add what information I had to the discussion. I did not know if there was an issue regading territory, or if the two species are capable of co-existing in the same area or not. Sorry if I caused confusion. I e-mailed the photos to windoverwings.com today and they agreed that the juvenile was a RSH in their opinion. As far as the bird in flight I would defer to your expertise. Thanks again....mike