Haliaeetus leucocephalus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 32 inches Wingspan: 80 inches * Sexes similar * Very large, broad-winged, broad-tailed hawk * Rounded wings * Thick, hooked bill * Plucks fish from water with talons Adult: * White head and upper neck * White tail * Dark brown body plumage * Yellow bill Immature: * Dark bill and dark cere * Dark brown body plumage, including head and tail * Variable amounts of white on underwing coverts, belly, and back * White head and tail, and dark underwings are gradually acquired in four years Similar species: Turkey Vulture has a tiny, unfeathered head, holds its wings in a dihedral, and has contrastingly paler flight feathers. Golden Eagle can be quite similar to immature Balds, or to adults at a distance but is all dark as an adult and as an immature has white restricted to the bases of the flight feathers and the bases of the tail feathers. The white is confined to crisp patches on the wing and tail, and is not blotchily scattered about underwings coverts as in immature Bald Eagles. Immature Golden Eagles have yellow ceres while immature Balds have dark ceres. Full_View |
Buteo platypterus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 13 inches Wingspan: 33 inches * Sexes similar * Short, dark, hooked beak * Medium-sized, broad-winged, broad-tailed hawk * Short, broad wings somewhat pointed at the tip Light morph adult: * Dark brown head, nape, upperwing, and back * Pale breast with thick, reddish bars to belly * Pale underwing with thick black margin to trailing edge * Thick black and white bands on tail of even width Light morph immature: * Dark brown head, back, and upperwing * Pale breast streaked with black * Pale underwing with indistinct, broad, black trailing edge * Tail dark brown above and pale below with dark bands Dark morph adult: * Rare breeder in Alberta and rare migrant in West and Midwest * Dark chocolate brown head, back, breast, upperwings, belly, and underwing coverts * Black and white bands on tail of even width * Pale silvery flight feathers below are barred with black * Broad, black trailing edge to wings Dark morph immature: * Dark chocolate brown head, back, upperwings, breast, belly, and undertail coverts often with paler rufous and white streaks * Tail dark above and pale below with narrow dark bands * Pale silvery flight feathers with some barring and often a pale, rectangular window in the outer wing * Indistinct dark margin to trailing edge of wing Similar species: Red-shouldered Hawk is similar in adult plumage but has reddish shoulders, a pale crescent in the wings, lacks the distinct black border to the trailing edge of the wing, and the white bands on the tail are much narrower than the black bands. Immatures can be distinguished by shape and crescent-shaped pale window in outer primaries. Dark morph Swainson's Hawk has pale undertail coverts. Other dark buteos are much larger with much broader wings (Red-tailed, Rough-legged, and Ferruginous). Immature dark morph Short-tailed Hawk has darker secondaries that contrast with the pale primaries and does not overlap with the range of the dark morph Broad-winged Hawk. Full_View |
HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 16.5 inches Wingspan: 42 inches * Medium-sized, long-winged, long-tailed hawk * Rounded wings, can appear pointed while gliding * White rump * Short, dark, hooked beak * Often courses low over marshes and fields on wings held in a strong dihedral * Flat face with owl-like facial disk Adult male: * Pale gray body plumage, paler on underparts * Darker gray head * Black tips to flight feathers, especially noticeable on the outer primaries * Narrow dark bars on tail Adult female: * Buff underparts with darker streaks on breast, belly, and underwing coverts * Dark barring on flight feathers most visible from below * Dark patch on inner wing created by dark secondaries and dark secondary covert * Dark brown above * Narrow barring on tail Immature: * Dark brown streaked head * Orange-buff underparts without streaks * Dark barring on flight feathers most visible from below * Dark patch on inner wing created by dark secondaries and dark secondary covert * Dark brown above * Narrow dark barring on tail Similar species: In typical habitat, the harrier is easily recognized by the low, coursing flight, white rump, and wings held at an angle. Rough-legged Hawks occupy similar habitat but have broader wings and a black subterminal tail band. When migrating, harriers can fly at great heights where many of their features become less obvious. The white rump cannot be seen, the wings may not appear held at an angle and the tail may be fanned. The pale underwings with black primary tips of the male make it distinctive. The dark inner wingss of females and immatures are a helpful clue. Harriers appear thinner-winged and longer-tailed than buteos and longer-winged than accipiters. Full_View |
Circus cyaneus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 16.5 inches Wingspan: 42 inches * Medium-sized, long-winged, long-tailed hawk * Rounded wings, can appear pointed while gliding * White rump * Short, dark, hooked beak * Often courses low over marshes and fields on wings held in a strong dihedral * Flat face with owl-like facial disk Adult male: * Pale gray body plumage, paler on underparts * Darker gray head * Black tips to flight feathers, especially noticeable on the outer primaries * Narrow dark bars on tail Adult female: * Buff underparts with darker streaks on breast, belly, and underwing coverts * Dark barring on flight feathers most visible from below * Dark patch on inner wing created by dark secondaries and dark secondary covert * Dark brown above * Narrow barring on tail Immature: * Dark brown streaked head * Orange-buff underparts without streaks * Dark barring on flight feathers most visible from below * Dark patch on inner wing created by dark secondaries and dark secondary covert * Dark brown above * Narrow dark barring on tail Similar species: In typical habitat, the harrier is easily recognized by the low, coursing flight, white rump, and wings held at an angle. Rough-legged Hawks occupy similar habitat but have broader wings and a black subterminal tail band. When migrating, harriers can fly at great heights where many of their features become less obvious. The white rump cannot be seen, the wings may not appear held at an angle and the tail may be fanned. The pale underwings with black primary tips of the male make it distinctive. The dark inner wingss of females and immatures are a helpful clue. Harriers appear thinner-winged and longer-tailed than buteos and longer-winged than accipiters. Full_View |
HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 16.5 inches Wingspan: 42 inches * Medium-sized, long-winged, long-tailed hawk * Rounded wings, can appear pointed while gliding * White rump * Short, dark, hooked beak * Often courses low over marshes and fields on wings held in a strong dihedral * Flat face with owl-like facial disk Adult male: * Pale gray body plumage, paler on underparts * Darker gray head * Black tips to flight feathers, especially noticeable on the outer primaries * Narrow dark bars on tail Adult female: * Buff underparts with darker streaks on breast, belly, and underwing coverts * Dark barring on flight feathers most visible from below * Dark patch on inner wing created by dark secondaries and dark secondary covert * Dark brown above * Narrow barring on tail Immature: * Dark brown streaked head * Orange-buff underparts without streaks * Dark barring on flight feathers most visible from below * Dark patch on inner wing created by dark secondaries and dark secondary covert * Dark brown above * Narrow dark barring on tail Similar species: In typical habitat, the harrier is easily recognized by the low, coursing flight, white rump, and wings held at an angle. Rough-legged Hawks occupy similar habitat but have broader wings and a black subterminal tail band. When migrating, harriers can fly at great heights where many of their features become less obvious. The white rump cannot be seen, the wings may not appear held at an angle and the tail may be fanned. The pale underwings with black primary tips of the male make it distinctive. The dark inner wingss of females and immatures are a helpful clue. Harriers appear thinner-winged and longer-tailed than buteos and longer-winged than accipiters. Full_View |
Pandion haliaetus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 22 inches Wingspan: 54 inches * Large, narrow-winged hawk * Flies on flat wings with distinct kink at elbow * Wings taper to a rounded tip * Short hooked beak * White cap * Dark brown eyeline broadening behind eye * Dark brown nape, back and upperwings * Wings from below: flight feathers white barred with black, undersecondary coverts white and underprimary coverts black producing rectangular black mark at wrist * White chin, throat, breast and belly * Brown tail has a number of white bands * Hovers and then plunges into water after fish Adult male: * Underparts entirely white Adult female: * Dark necklace of streaks on throat Immature: * White tips to dark back feathers Similar species: Unmarked white belly, wing shape, and flight style make the Osprey instantly recognizable even at a distance. Full_View |
HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 22 inches Wingspan: 54 inches * Large, narrow-winged hawk * Flies on flat wings with distinct kink at elbow * Wings taper to a rounded tip * Short hooked beak * White cap * Dark brown eyeline broadening behind eye * Dark brown nape, back and upperwings * Wings from below: flight feathers white barred with black, undersecondary coverts white and underprimary coverts black producing rectangular black mark at wrist * White chin, throat, breast and belly * Brown tail has a number of white bands * Hovers and then plunges into water after fish Adult male: * Underparts entirely white Adult female: * Dark necklace of streaks on throat Immature: * White tips to dark back feathers Similar species: Unmarked white belly, wing shape, and flight style make the Osprey instantly recognizable even at a distance. Full_View |
HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 22 inches Wingspan: 54 inches * Large, narrow-winged hawk * Flies on flat wings with distinct kink at elbow * Wings taper to a rounded tip * Short hooked beak * White cap * Dark brown eyeline broadening behind eye * Dark brown nape, back and upperwings * Wings from below: flight feathers white barred with black, undersecondary coverts white and underprimary coverts black producing rectangular black mark at wrist * White chin, throat, breast and belly * Brown tail has a number of white bands * Hovers and then plunges into water after fish Adult male: * Underparts entirely white Adult female: * Dark necklace of streaks on throat Immature: * White tips to dark back feathers Similar species: Unmarked white belly, wing shape, and flight style make the Osprey instantly recognizable even at a distance. Full_View |
HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 22 inches Wingspan: 54 inches * Large, narrow-winged hawk * Flies on flat wings with distinct kink at elbow * Wings taper to a rounded tip * Short hooked beak * White cap * Dark brown eyeline broadening behind eye * Dark brown nape, back and upperwings * Wings from below: flight feathers white barred with black, undersecondary coverts white and underprimary coverts black producing rectangular black mark at wrist * White chin, throat, breast and belly * Brown tail has a number of white bands * Hovers and then plunges into water after fish Adult male: * Underparts entirely white Adult female: * Dark necklace of streaks on throat Immature: * White tips to dark back feathers Similar species: Unmarked white belly, wing shape, and flight style make the Osprey instantly recognizable even at a distance. Full_View |
|
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
What's history without legend?
