Bird of the Week – Red-tailed Hawk

The Red-tailed Hawk is the most common hawk in Alaska.

Red-tailed Hawk, Potter Marsh, Anchorage

This another polymorphic hawk, presenting a bewildering variety of colorations. In fact, the dark morph, “Harlan’s Hawk,” was at one point thought to be a different species. In Alaska, look for the dark head and the dark “belly band” and you’ve probably got a Red-tailed.

In flight, it’s a little easier.

Red-tailed Hawk self-identifying; Delta Barley Project, Delta Junction

Red-tailed Hawks breed throughout interior and southcentral Alaska. Alaska and Canada birds migrate to the southwest U.S., to Mexico and Central America and even to northern South America. Elsewhere in the U.S. they are present year-round.

Camera geek stuff:

Photo 1 – f4, 1/400, ISO400
Photo 2 – f9, 1/1600, ISO200

For more bird photos, please visit Frozen Feather Images.

Comments

comments