DU ornithologists: Identify this bird:

[Robb]

I'm thinking it's a falcon of some sort. Or a juvi eagle. Sucker made me pull off the road, jump out (because my fargin' window won't roll down) and take his picture. Then he flew off. :)

[petronius]

1. Looks like a red-tailed hawk to me...

[Robb]

2. Have we these in Colorado?

:shrug:

[petronius]

3. Pretty much all over the U.S., and year-round

[Ladyhawk]

12. Redtails are very common. n/t

[Sonora Nora]

7. redtail hawk!

Definitely. And redtail hawks love Colorado. They can be seen along highways mostly.

[ZombieNixon]

4. I think it's called a Ding Bat. They're very rare.

No, seriously, it looks like a red-tailed hawk, and yes, you do have them in Colorado.

[Redstone]

5. According to Sibley, you do have red-tails there.

And he's the expert's expert.

It could possible be a Swainson's Hawk, but looks like a red-tail to me.

Redstone

[uppityperson]

19. are Swainson's the ones with the white rump patch?

[carpetbagger]

20. Not really.

They have some whitish coloration in the tail, but not really a patch. Based on your DU profile, you're probably seeing Northern Harrier. Once you get to Texas or Arizona, there's a number of other possibilities.

Additionally, Swainson's don't hang around in the winter.

[uppityperson]

22. that's the one. Circus cyanus, thanks.

[EstimatedProphet]

6. Looks like a Red Tailed Hawk to me

Hard to say though, since the tail is hidden

[Robb]

8. Here's a blurry photo

I just caught him flying away... kinda reddish. :shrug:

[petronius]

10. That would be definitive...

these are really gorgeous birds - it's fascinating to watch them soar around the hills and canyons on a clear day.

[Lisa]

11. yeah -- looks like a red-tail (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-tails (particularly in the US) have a wide range of coloration patterns, so s/he might not look exactly like the pics in a bird book.

p.s. I used to work in a bird of prey rehab center. We kept an ex-patient named Rusty, in a flight cage out back (she couldn't be released because she'd been brought in with gangrene, and they had to amputate the wing) -- she was young and friendly enough to be taken out on school visits. She used to do that head-tilt. Seeing it sure brings back memories!





http://www.eraptors.org/red-tailed-range.htm

[Ladyhawk]

13. Definitely a redtailed hawk. n/t

[oregonjen]

9. We had a Sharp-shinned hawk in our yard get a little toey eating

at the bird feeder. It flew in, caused all the birds to squawk like crazy, caught the bird and ate his prey on the sidewalk. Pretty amazing, isn't it?

Red-tailed hawks are all over the place where we live. I see them perched on the freeway lights. I even saw a bald eagle last year flying over our house.

I love bird watching!

[likesmountains 52]

14. How much snow are you getting out of this storm? I'm south of you

and have about 4 inches by 4 PM..more forecast for tonight yea!

[Robb]

16. (looks outside)

Nothing yet! Bupkiss! Nada! Zip! :D

...and me with bored huskies. :P

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. Oh, that's Franklin.

Nice bird. Loves walnuts, for some reason.

[Robb]

17. Walnuts?

How d'ya get 'em up there?:D

[pitohui]

18. that's good old fashioned red tail hawk

not a falcon, sorry

belly band be the giveaway

[Kali]

21. Another vote for red tail and a reminder that they have

several color morphs.