Crappy photo but ID please.

[MN Shutterbug]

While driving around and avoiding my in laws today, I came across this hawk, looking for a morsel. When I first stopped, he was within 200mm range, but by the time I got out of the car, of course, he was beyond 1000mm range. I attempted a couple quick shots and ended up with a photo that at least may be indentifiable.

I even found a tree that actually has character. I didn't think I'd even take part in the March tree challenge due to nothing but boring trees around here. But, I hate to be a party [PoorWordUsage]. Then I remembered a tree I had taken a few photos of a couple years ago, with my 2.1 mp Sony Mavica. It was still there, just tough to remember the exact location. Anyway, as soon as I decide which one I like the best, I'll post it in the appropriate place.

Anyway, I hope you all had a good holiday.

[demonjigger]

looks like a rough legged hawk.

[FlatBack]

Looks like a Cooper's Hawk

[demonjigger]

How big was it? coopers are about 28" wingspan, and rough legged's are about 52".

[MN Shutterbug]

I'm afraid it wouldn't sit still long enough for me to measure it. Actually, it was a pretty good sized bird, much larger than 28" wingspan, I'm sure.

Hey, I noticed a word of mine got edited in my original post. Kinda funny. No p**ping on this forum.

[fishinchicks]

Mike,

Where about did you see it? We saw a similar bird on Saturday between Cottonwood and Marshall. It was about the same size as a redtail, I think.

[mmeyer]

Kind of looks like a Redtail to me. I'm no bird expert though. If it's got a pretty long wingspan then that's what I'd say it is.

[FlatBack]

I am pretty sure that it isn't a red tail. Red tails are Buteos, a family of hawks with wide fan-like tails Coopers and sharp shines, and what ever this bird is are Accipiters, a family of hawks with long thin tail feathers.

Rough Leg Hawks are Buteos, and Cooper's Hawks are about the same size as Red tails.

My two cents.

FB

[MN Shutterbug]

This bird was seen by Del Clark Lake, by Canby. I also saw a bald eagle in a tree, by the lake, along with around 500 geese. It was kinda funny, when the eagle took off, all the geese hightailed it out of there. What a bunch of cowards. I know it wasn't a red tail. I've seen plenty of them. This hawk was pretty much all black and white. The body appeared smaller but the wingspan was quite large. I understand the quality of this photo isn't the best.

[demonjigger]

Red tails are much larger than coopers. Approximatley 20" larger wingspan...

[Steve Foss]

It looks like a male northern harrier to me.

[MN Shutterbug]

Bingo. Northern harrier it is. Everytime someone came up with a guess, I'd do a google image search. I just googled northern harrier and found a lot of images of one in flight. I then did a standard google for northern harrier and came up with a page from Cornell. Here is their description. It fits my bird to a T.

"A long-winged, long-tailed hawk of open grassland and marshes, the Northern Harrier forages by flying slowly low above the ground looking for small rodents. It is one of the few raptors in which the sexes look quite different: the male is white below with a light gray back and hood, the female is mottled in browns."

Thanks all, for your assistance.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Winner winner chicken dinner.. nice ID Foss!!! I was going to help out best I could and say it was a 'Bird"..thats about as close as I was going to get.. .lol

[Steve Foss]

Raptors have been one of my favorite bird groups since 1972. Still make some mistakes now and then (IDing a bird from a single photograph can get kind of metaphysical), but the field marks on this one are pretty clear.

Deitz, your ID as a "bird" would have been correct, sir!

[MN Shutterbug]

OK Steve, when I get to your neck of the woods, I'll treat you to a chicken dinner.

[Steve Foss]

Well, I may be a birder, but there are things I like to eat a lot better than chicken! Darn that Deitz.

No dinner needed, X-t. It's all just part of the fun.

[mrklean]

Nice photo i like it

[MN Shutterbug]

 Originally Posted By: mrklean

Nice photo i like it

Thanks, but I don't. I'm almost tempted to go back and try and find him again. My guess is, he probably didn't stick around, and it would be a waste of time and gas.

Steve, I'll just bet that you are a prime rib type of guy. Personally, I'd take a fried chicken before a steak any day. The only thing I prefer over chicken is fresh fish, notably eyes, perch, crappies and sunnies.