Date: 1/17/25 9:29 am From: Ryan Phillips via groups.io <norcalbirding...> Subject: Re: [southbaybirds] Red-tailed Hawk - Juvenile Dark Morph or Juvenile Harlan's ?
Hi Matthew,
The Harlan's (harlani) Red-tailed Hawk is a distinct subspecies with a long
history of debate and research. Both B. j. calurus and B. j. harlani are
polymorphic and overlap slightly in their breeding range and overlap
considerably in their non-breeding range. We have both in the area, so
close scrutiny differentiating the two is important and validated.
Here is a reference of the most recent research and Bryce and his team are
doing great work to better understand this ubiquitous, but very interesting
and widespread species.
https://redtailedhawkproject.org/subspecies-guide/
Good birding,
Ryan
On Fri, Jan 17, 2025, 9:14 AM Matthew O'Brien via groups.io <matthewobrien=
<comcast.net...> wrote:
> This Red-tailed Hawk has been around the Ed Levin Park area for quite a
> while. My house is on Piedmont Road, just south of Calaveras Road.
>
> I saw it earlier this week soaring with two others above our house, but
> I've also seen it - or its twin - sporadically the last two years or so.
> When I'm outdoors, I'm always watching the sky. (Hoping mainly for an
> errant California Condor. So far, no luck. But I've gotten virtually all
> of the local raptors from the yard.)
>
> I'm of the persuasion that calling out a Red-tailed Hawk as a Harlan's is
> a misleading proposition. I consider 'Harlan's' as a Red-tailed morph,
> which shares a pattern of plumage which is admittedly somewhat distinctive
> and recurs. I've just seen way too many aberrant Red-tails across the West
> in my life - 73 years - to single out this pattern as indicating any
> special classification.
>
> Matthew O'Brien
> Milpitas
>
>
>
>
>
Do not disclose information that identifies the location of nesting birds of any species, to minimize stress on the nesting birds and the risk of vandalism or abuse.
