need help with hawk identification

[misclaims]

Spring must be right around the corner. The hawk has returned to the back yard. Since we butt up to the state forest, I never know who and what is going to show up.. I think maybe this might be a red shouldered hawk? Its on the smaller side...red back with a buff underside.. makes a very distinctive hawk cry almost sounds like an eagle. Any ideas? Thanks
The snipe were back again the other morning... they are too funny to watch!

 

[HawkinNative]

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[tom m]

Hey Misclaim, If the back was red and the underside was buff then that sounds like a sparrow hawk or American Kestrel, how Big was it ? was it about crow Size or Robin size???

 

[PINEY MIKE]

Saw a very cool sight last weekend. As we were driving there was a decent sized cotton tail in the road in front of us and as we got closer a large red tailed hawk swept down and picked the rabbit off. Very neat to see.

 

[GermanG]

Regarding the call of the bird you saw sounding like an eagle, many people have been mislead as to what an eagle sounds like by television and movies. In most cases, sound is added to outdoor filming during editing, and Hollywood long ago decided that the actual call of an eagle was not what they were looking for or expected. Most eagle calls you hear in those cases are actually calls from a Red Tailed Hawk.

 

[HawkinNative]

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[GermanG]

I don't think I've even heard that before. I'm sure I fall victim to not paying as much attention as I should to the more common species. I need to slow down life more often and enjoy the more common pleasures. I am spending my day off delighting in letting my lab out every hour or so to chase the darn squirrels from the feeders. That’s one somewhat evil pleasure I get to enjoy. I really need to invest in a few good squirrel proof ones. We have several at work but they are so darn expensive.

 

[HawkinNative]

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[misclaims]

Thanks for all the information. Im going to get a better look at him as he's around here pretty much all the time now. Ill try matching him up in the birdbooks with your suggestions. He's pretty neat. And yes, those are definitely woodcock that hang out here... they do that cool bobbing thing!

I also had quite a few Eastern Bluebirds show up here. It had been along time since I've seen those too. Those are super pretty.

 

[misclaims]

As as squirrels go with the feeders... I've hung the feeders from the post using small bungy cords. While it doesn't prevent them totally from getting into the feeder, it reduces the time they can hang on. I've seen many a bungy jumping squirrel get launched from the feeder when another tries to join the one hanging on there... its actually pretty funny!

 

[misclaims]

on the size of the bird... he's definitely crow sized...

 

[46er]

I really need to invest in a few good squirrel proof ones. We have several at work but they are so darn expensive.

Change your bird food to safflower, I switched over a year ago. You might get one or two that develop a taste for it, but in general they can't stand it. For suet, only the hot pepper variety. Has not affected the birds at all. The squirrels get deer corn.

 

[piker56]

The typical "backyard bird feeder hawk" is either a Sharp-shinned or Cooper's hawk. They show a longer tail than Buteos (Red tailed & Red shouldered) when perched. They most often hunt by pursuit from a perch rather than soaring and looking prey. Immature birds have a brownish appearence.


I had a Sharp Shinned get a bird off the ground under my feeder last Saturday (looked like a grackle, hard to tell). He swooped in from a pine tree in our neighbors yard. Needless to say, we didn't see another bird at the feeder for the next few hours. I've never seen a Red Shouldered at our feeder.

 

[misclaims]

I found this link... it has the calls on it. It must be a red tailed hawk as this is what Im hearing outside.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-tailed_Hawk.html#sound