Mystery Hawk: was Harris' Hawk

Jlstasz@aol.com
Wed, 25 Feb 1998 20:38:26 EST


Hi Folks!

I may just have to retract that report of Harris' Hawk...the bird had several
features which do not seem to match...so maybe someone else has an idea. Ryan
Lesh & I could only compare it to Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, and Bald
Eagle...the only other "raptors" seen at the same time.

(1) Shape when gliding: like a Red-shouldered Hawk and about the same size,
perhaps marginally larger. Not short-tailed like a Red-tail or Broad-wing nor
very long-tailed like a Harrier. Wings more or less rounded at tip....not
pointed like Swainson's. Wings held flat.....not bowed like Red-shoulder often
does and not with any dihedral ....wingtips in the same plane as the rest of
the wing...no upturn like sometimes seen on Golden Eagle.

(2) Tail: virtually identical to that illustrated for Harris' Hawks. Longish,
white above and beloew, with a very broad subterminal black band and a narrow,
but distinct white terminal band. Similar above and below. When strong
sunlight passed throught the tail, there was a small hint of rufous in the
edges of the tail.

(3) Underside of head, throat, breast and the entire wing surface: Black. No
white  like TV or Black Vurlture or Rough-legged or Red-shouldered. Just plain
black.

(4) Upperside of wing: Secondaries and coverts deep gray; primaries with
black. Pattern similar to that of an adult male Harier, but a deeper gray. 

(5) Behavior: The Turkey Vultures acted like they normarlly do in a migrating
kettle... circle for a while, then break off into a shallow glide and reform
into the kettle...rising slowly. This bird, when it broke from the kettle,
went into a stoop between the kettle formations...that is...it moved from
kettle to kettle by doing a high angle stoop and almost riding up from the
stoop in the new kettle.....sort of like when my old car goes west...I speed
down the hill to gain momentum which I lose rapidly when going up the next
hill. I do not recall seeing the bird flap even once in 10-15 minutes of
watching. 

Any ideas?  Need more? No soft part colors seen. No rufous seen in upper on
under wing coverts.

Good Birding!

Jim

Jim Stasz
North Beach MD
jlstasz@aol.com