help with ID

[CodyDawg]

I have a large hawk-like bird nesting in the top of a tree in west central MN. At first, I thought it was an immature Northern Harrier, but apparently they are ground nesters.

I got a good look through binocs tonite. It has a lightish brown chest and belly...kinda of reddish. not the brown of a red tail hawk. barred tail, black top of its noggin, lighter face. It likes to glide fairly low until it almost gets to its nesting tree and then glides straight up to the nest. So it doesnt just fly to its nest, it always comes in low and then goes dang near straight up. A big nest too. Any help would be appreciated.

[PFUNK]

Sounds to me like it could be a Coopers hawk, but that's just a guess!

[CodyDawg]

Some of the desciption matches, but the reddish chest and belly doesnt at all. very distinctive. I am not real good at the id of these things yet, dadgumit.

[CodyDawg]

Got a good look at it today. I am thinking either a Swainsons Hawk or a Immature Northern Harrier. Leaning Harrier. Harriers are more common here and have the black on the top of the noggin. Pretty neat bird and when I was watching it, a fox squirrel climbed up the tree it was sitting on and chased it away! Pretty fun to watch. They stared at each other from about 4 feet for a couple minutes!

[PFUNK]

I thought you said it does have a reddish colored chest... and Coopers hawks do. Here is a coopers hawk...

Harriers, like you said, are ground nesters. Doesn't sound like it would fit the description you give. What color are the eyes?

Also, Coopers hawks are notorious for flying close to the ground like that and then sharply gliding straight up. They do this to capture prey, often straight off of bird feeders. Sharp shinned hawks also look very similar to Coopers hawks.

[CodyDawg]

aaahhhh, dangit. i forgot about that ground nesting bit. out goes the Harrier. the picture you posted looks a lot more like it than the one I found. Yep, I think that could be it. The breast is more solid color reddish, but does have some mottling. close enough. And if they do that glide and straight up deal, then I am pretty close to proclaiming this a Coopers.

are they very common?

[Steve Foss]

Cooper's hawks are fairly common in the wooded and semi-wooded areas of Minnesota, and are often seen in larger numbers now, during migration season.

[PFUNK]

Yep... just what steve said. Fairly common in wooded areas. They are regular nesters in Minnesota, especially in the central and SE parts of the state. I wouldn't be surprised if this was your bird. Only other one I might consider is the sharp shinned hawk. It looks very similar but is a little bit smaller. Also, it would have a square tail while the Cooper's hawk would have a tail that looks more rounded. It is more common than the Cooper's hawk as well.

[Dotch]

I agree. If it was a northern harrier or as the oltimers like my Dad called them a marsh hawk, it would have a distinctive large white patch at the base of the tail on top, particularly visible when they fly. Both juveniles and adults have it. Looks like someone hit them in the arse with a snowball!

[Comit 2]

Did you try the sharp shined hawk?

If it has some what pointed wings it may be a broad winged hawk.

[CodyDawg]

didnt get a look at it over the weekend. I will keep my eyes peeled today. cant see it in the nest right now.