I live in the Mtn's of SW Va. This am I saw a hawk being chased by some crows, I am familier with red tailed hawks, but this definetely was not one. It had a yellow curved beak, spiked plummage on top of head, dark brown in color with alternating white, tan mixed feathers, but dark, dark eyes, when it flew I would guess a 3 foot or so wing span, any guesses to what I saw? I am pretty sure it was not a vulture, it looked like a bird of prey/raptor. Thank-You.
2007-11-28 00:57:28 · 3 answers · asked by cindy 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
It was much larger than a crow about the size of a football, it had strong full sweeps when it started to fly, the tail was blunt shaped. I have looked at pictures of a cooper hawk, and it did not look like that, I am hoping that I will see it again!
2007-11-28 11:42:56 · update #1
It's really hard to definitively ID a hawk (or any other bird/animal) without a picture - but here are a few possible suggestions for you to look at, and maybe it will help point you in the right direction:
Northern Harrier:
http://www.crowleymuseumnaturectr.org/images/northern%20harrier.jpg
Cooper's Hawk:
http://www.johnsonmill.com/images/Cooper's%20Hawk%201%20small.jpg ((i know this one has light eyes but sometimes their eyes are a bright orange-red color, too, as seen here http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/images/Coopers_Hawk_Head_large.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/coopers-hawk.html&h=364&w=600&sz=79&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=0Y9pgii_w49SPM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcooper%2527s%2Bhawk%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG)
Sharp Shinned Hawk:
http://www.lookoutnow.com/feeder/images/sharp_2.jpg
And a Red Shouldered Hawk:
http://steelhead.aecom.yu.edu/Florida2005/images/Red-shouldered%20hawk.jpg
2007-11-28 03:00:17 · answer #1 · answered by nixity 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For hawks, there are a few key things to look for: size (was it as big as the crows, smaller, larger?), tail (did it look long or short; was it striped or solid-colored?), wings (stubby/wide, long and rounded, crooked and pointy) and head (big and stuck out or small bump on the shoulders?). Also, how did it fly - really quick flaps or big, strong flaps? The eye color, and beak color, are interesting and useful, but the general impressions of the hawk are often more helpful in making an ID. As it stands, I wouldn't really hazard a guess; it could be a number of different things, particularly considering immature plumages..
2007-11-28 03:20:13 · answer #2 · answered by John R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it was about the same size as the crows chances are you saw a Cooper's Hawk
2007-11-28 10:55:57 · answer #3 · answered by Mimik 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋