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Pictures Love is in the air (Red Shouldered Hawks) pic warning

April

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Xoetix

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How can you tell the difference between red shouldered and red tailed? We have a hawk in the backyard that I’ve always assumed was a red tailed but now I’m not sure - they look so similar
 

April

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I'll have to reply more in detail when I'm at my computer later. Lately my phone acts really wonky if I try to do a long reply. But rest assured I shall happily reply when I can :)
 

April

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How can you tell the difference between red shouldered and red tailed? We have a hawk in the backyard that I’ve always assumed was a red tailed but now I’m not sure - they look so similar
Sorry about the wait yesterday was crazy. So in my personal experience between the two species is that The Red Shouldered Hawk is a smaller and more slender Ratptor over all than the Red Tailed Hawk. Red Shoulders have much thinner more slender legs and more dainty and smaller feet and talons. Red Tails are thicker bodied over all and more hulking they have far larger and wider feet with much larger talons. As youngers they do have similar markings and can be very confusing for folks to differentiate. At about 2 years old once each species reaches maturity, they get their more distinguishing adult colors. The Red Shoulders will always have the more spotted patterns and light to darker in varying birds orange breast feathers. The Red Tail will always stay buffy breasted colored but will molt out their brown multi barred tail feathers for their gorgeous Russet red feathers that give them their namesake. You can see from these shots the differnce in body types and power.

Here's my personal pics of a Red Tail thats roughly about a year and a half probably since he's got a single russet tail feather in.
Red Tail Juvi single red feather edited.jpg
Back of a Mature Red Shouldered Hawk
RSH back tail shot edited.jpg

Front shot of the Juvi Red Tail but almost mature
RTH front shot edited.jpg

And front shot of the Mature Red Shouldered
RSH front shot edited.jpg
 

April

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@Xoetix didn't want you to miss this.
 

Lady Jane

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Hawks are so proud looking. I especially like the Coopers hawk.
Then the Falcon family. Your photos are outstanding.
 

WillowQ

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Wow. I love raptors. There’s a roost or nest on a hiking trail in a park I go to and I used to see lots of red tailed hawks there. Very exciting. They are speedy birds to work with, though.
 

Mockinbirdiva

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Great shots and… great timing!
 

WillowQ

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My dad just sent me a video of a Cooper’s hawk with a dove (on his deck). But it’s not much fun so I think I will keep it private.
 

zoo mom

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Beautiful pictures
 

April

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Thank you so much everyone,I appreciate your comments so much! :heart:
 

Pixiebeak

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APRIL,
You take such beautiful photos!
Thanks for tips on telling thrm apart.
 

April

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APRIL,

You take such beautiful photos!

Thanks for tips on telling thrm apart.

*blushes* thank you so much for your kind words. Oh you're so welcome it was fun :)
 

Tyrion

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WOW amazing pics :strhng:
 

WillowQ

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I’m an ornithologist but I’ve never observed raptors actually mating. Your photos are incredible.
 

April

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I’m an ornithologist but I’ve never observed raptors actually mating. Your photos are incredible.
Oh I had no idea you were an Ornithologist! That's so fascinating. Thank you so much the compliment! I still can't believe that I was lucky enough to witness this. In all my years of loving raptors especially I've never been blessed to see such thing. I'll be forever grateful to have seen it. I hope they have chicks this years and I'm able to see. I'm not sure if they have before since its my first year following them. But there is a mated pair of Red-Tails my absolute favorite species and my spirit animal and they always raise chicks on the tower next to my job. This is my second year to have a real camera though so I'm hopeful to see chicks,they are already rebuilding their nest these last few days lots of stick carrying. Last year they only had 1 chick and I only saw him twice once in the nest way up on the tower and once when he was fledging and then I never saw him again. In previous years they would teach their offspring to hunt in our yard but alas last year with having finally got a real camera they didnt do it oddly maybe cause they only had the one chick? It was quite odd though since I've followed them almost 16 years and that was very out of character.
 

WillowQ

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Wow. I love red tailed hawks. Those are the ones I see most often. And I identify with them as well.

Hawks are incredibly strong and incredibly speedy. Quite hard to handle. I would love to fly hawks but live in the city so that’s not an option. I just gave my little fellows at home.

My friend in my apartment building had a hawk of some sort eyeing up her cockatiel on the windowsill; but actually had a crow land on the other side of the window and look at him “like he was a chicken McNugget.” I think it scared some years off the cockatiel’s life. I’m surprised that a crow would take on a cockatiel but yes, I’m sure it would “win”.
 

April

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I've absolutely adored them since I was 5 years old thanks to the book series Animorphs and I actually experienced one close up as we were driving through my neighborhood when I was about 7 and we stopped at a street to turn and right there in the hedges next to me was a stunning Red Tail just sitting there I could have opened the window and touched him. I stared into his eyes and I was hooked on them forever.
 
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