Apr 19 2011
Falcon or Hawk?
Last Thursday at lunchtime a bird of prey caused quite a stir in downtown Pittsburgh when it perched on a light fixture and very publicly ate a pigeon.
Katie Cunningham sent me photographs of the bird and asked, “Is this a falcon or a hawk?” She guessed it was a hawk and she was right (it’s an immature red-tailed hawk) but how could she be sure it’s not a peregrine?
Telling the difference between a falcon and a hawk is a common identification problem, so common that people often ask me for help.
Today I’ll tell you how to identify the birds yourself.
Right off the bat I’m going to narrow the scope. In western Pennsylvania you can see up to nine hawk and three falcon species depending on time of year and habitat. To make this manageable I’ll address the most common identification question faced by city folks: Is this bird a peregrine falcon or a red-tailed hawk?
First, ask yourself several key questions.
Is it a bird of prey? Birds of prey eat meat so they have hooked beaks (see the tip of the beak) and talons (big claws). If the bird does not have these features it’s neither a falcon nor a hawk and you can stop right there.
What time of year is it? Peregrines and red-tails live in western Pennsylvania year round so the time of year doesn’t eliminate either bird due to migration. However identification is more challenging in June and early July when the juvenile peregrines are flying around town.
Where is the bird? In what habitat? Is it in the city on a building? (Could be either a peregrine or a red-tail) In the suburbs? (likely a red-tailed hawk) On a bridge? (likely a peregrine) On a light pole over the highway? (likely a red-tail) In a tree? (likely a red-tail) Standing on your picnic table? (likely a red-tail) Standing on the ground? (likely a red-tail) …But if it’s June a juvenile peregrine might be found in some of the “red-tail” places.
Is the bird in the human zone? Is the bird perched close to humans? If so, it’s likely to be a red-tailed hawk …but is it June?
What does it look like?
Red-tailed hawks are bigger than crows. They are white on their chests and speckled brown on their heads, faces, wings and backs. Their throats are white but their faces are brown all the way to their shoulders. They have brown hash mark stripes on their bellies (low, between their legs). Only adult red-tailed hawks have rusty red tails. Juveniles have brown tails with horizontal stripes.
Adult peregrines are smaller than red-tailed hawks, about the size of a crow but bulkier. Adult peregrines are charcoal gray and white. Their backs, wings and heads are charcoal gray, their chests are white and their bellies and legs are heavily striped (horizontally) with dark gray. Their heads are dark gray and their faces are white with dark gray sideburns called malar stripes. Peregrines have malar stripes; red-tailed hawks do not.
Here’s a photo comparison of the two: red-tailed hawk on the left, adult peregrine on the right.
What’s this thing about June?
In June in Pittsburgh juvenile peregrines leave the nest and learn to fly. Immature peregrines are brown and cream-colored instead of gray and white like the adults. They have no white on their chests and the stripes on their bellies are vertical instead of horizontal.
Newly fledged juvenile peregrines may do almost anything, including perch in the human zone. Because they are brown you can’t use those easy color cues you use for adults.
Here is a photo comparison of an immature red-tailed hawk (on the left) versus an immature peregrine (on the right). Though similar in color, they still look very different.
What is the likelihood of seeing either bird? Peregrines are rare. Red-tailed hawks are the most common hawk in North America. In Allegheny County there are 14 resident peregrine falcons but I’ll wager there are more than 150 resident red-tailed hawks.
So…you’re usually right if you say it’s a red-tail. You’re unlikely to see a peregrine near ground level in Pittsburgh. That’s why we get excited about peregrines.
(Red-tailed hawk photo by Katie Cunningham, Peregrine photos by Kim Steininger)
Where was this at in town? Did it cause a stir for Dori and Louie?
Wonderful information, Kate! Thanks for all the cues to look for and the side by side photos. I can hardly wait for the peregrine eggs to hatch.
The Pitt News has certainly had it’s share of troubles…even advertising an opening for a staff ornithologist in the April Fool’s issue. Then they got a shot of a red-tail at the union recently. That was all but two columns of the cover yesterday and across the top in all caps and bold – “THIS IS NOT A FALCON”
They got the ID right finally!
This immature red-tail was too close to the ground to upset Dori & Louie. It was about 10 feet up, they’re 400 feet up. …Worlds apart!
My daughter sent me a text yesterday saying that she had just watched a small brown hawk with a speckled breast kill a rodent and eat it in the little park in the center of downtown Erie. She asked me what I thought it was. I’m not really good at identifying birds, even when I can see them (flowers are so much easier to identify! they just sit there and let you look at them). But we have always had a lot of red tails around our house, and I think she would be able to identify a red tail. So I guessed it might be a broad wing hawk, but of course without being able to see it, there is not much of a chance of knowing what it was. I did manage to see a towhee when I was in Boyce Mayview park last Thursday, and I thought I saw an owl flying through the trees, but he was gone before I could get the binoculars on him (but I know owls usually nest in that part of the park). I just can’t find the birds with the binoculars fast enough to get a good look at them, and I have a hard time learning the songs. But I still try.
Kate, thanks very much for the detailed information. Am betting it was a red tail my friend saw.
Great info, Kate!
I love all of the details! That makes it much easier to i.d. in a hurry!
Thanks for another great blog, Kate! I’m amazed at the diversity of wildlife in the city.
I’ve taken more confusing while needed to ID – is it RTH or PF:
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/gbmax/4-6-2010/P4067869_1.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/gbmax/4-6-2010/P4067854_1.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/gbmax/4-6-2010/P4067863_1.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/gbmax/4-6-2010/P4067865_1.jpg
this one had little kinda “sideburns” that peregrines have…
Gintaras, interesting face pattern… but not the classic malar stripe. I think of the “sideburns” as giving peregrines a helmeted appearance, like those old Roman helmets that protected the cheeks but exposed the ears.
Here’s a Roman helmet example: http://i.ehow.com/images/a04/os/8d/roman-armor-facts-800×800.jpg
Here’s a peregrine example: http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2011/01/15/webcams-and-a-warning/
Hi, Kate,
Is the website still down? I haven’t been able to get any of the cams since the maintenance takedown yesterday.
Also – check out our california peregrines: type in santa cruz with peregrines, and the links to the cameras will come up (San Jose and San Francisco). Both nests have hatched now, and are very active.
How about a Broad-winged Hawk??? This matches the facial pattern and that little yellow patch above the beak.
http://www.pinebarrensanimals.com/web_images/pix1/broadwingedhawk1.jpg
Yes it could be an immature broad-winged hawk. The smaller beak & “sweet” face reminded me of a red-shouldered hawk… which is a lot like a broad-winged. Well, this just goes to show that immature hawks can be difficult to identify!
I did see a peregrine falcon up close one time, and one time only.
One day in the fall of 2009, I was going to work in Robinson Twp. (off of Campbell’s Run Road). I stopped the car and got a very up-close look; it was a peregrine falcon (they are such a distinct raptor.)
I almost went into shock; it looked like it just ate a meal as it was walking slowly up the hill, then it took off eastbound towards the city.
In that specific area, there are lots of red-tail hawks, so I was quite surprised to see it there.
A rare treat indeed, and one I will never forget!!!!
Maybe this could be one of the two juvenile Red-tailed Hawks I saw in Schenley Park in July. Those two hawks were apparently not afraid of people, as they let me get about three feet away!
Hi Kate.
What a timely discussion of raptor identification, considering that many are in spring migration now. You might be interested to know that we had a Northern Goshawk at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis in late March and early April. It was quite a thrill for many local birders, including me. I was lucky enough to see it and get a photo. Here is the link to a photo taken April 2, if you care to take a look at it:
http://juliebrown.aminus3.com/image/2011-04-22.html
Thanks for the info!
There was a hawk in our factory and I was curious to know what it actually was for certain. The bird flew out one of the windows I had opened, but it was magnificent to watch from only a few feet away.
live in louisiana…….had a bird (hawk) bathing in my birdbath….took pics….is there an email address that i can send the pics for possible identification? thanks, charlene
I’ll get in touch with you… or you can post a Flickr link here.
Oh, what a complete thrill today!! My friend and I were driving in Squirrel Hill on Wilkins Ave. this afternoon. (Pittsburgh) I was the driver. This area is totally populated and residential with a good bit of traffic. Driving along, I spotted a large blur of muted colors and movement on the sidewalk to my right a good ten feet away. (I have this innate radar for nature’s creatures) As I neared, I honed in on it, and cried to my friend, Oh, Wow, I think it’s a I red-tailed hawk! I had to see more, so I pulled up to the curb parallel to the bird on the sidewalk only about a foot and a half away, and though I was blocking traffic, I could not move! I was mesmerized! The hawk had bagged a young squirrel which he held captive in his left foot talons; the poor little prey was writhing away, trying to break free, but the bird held him fast. We watched; the hawk knew we were there parked next to him, but we were silent. We observed him (or her) in profile mostly, as that is how the bird was positioned with its prey. We watched and waited, curious as to why the hawk lingered with its wiggling creature so long without further attempt to kill or eat it. The bird did cast his eyes at the car a few times, but seemed undisturbed by us; rather, there was wariness, which was apparent by his shifting his weight back and forth, turning his feet a bit, and moving his head oh so slightly. I got the sense that he was much more concerned about other predators who might steal his food or threaten him. I observed that the hawk was in decision mode…..he had the squirrel, he knew, but he wasn’t comfortable with it on the pavement. What to do? After almost 10 minutes, a long time, he moved with the squirrel a few inches forward, then stopped and contemplated further, and finally took off in flight, heading for foliage so he could enjoy the feast in private.
I was awe-struck at his beauty; your distinction, showing comparative pictures and a very good description of the differences helped me enormously. Was this, in fact, a red-tail? I got confused because I did not see red color on the tail, but then again, the tail was not spread, nor could I see under it. The bird was large with a prominent head, dramatic hooked beak, and beautifully brown, white, black flecked colors on its feathers. His wings were no doubt large as they draped along his sides almost the length of his body. I knew this couldn’t be a peregrine, not the right coloring, too large, and would unlikely not be on the sidewalk in Sq. Hill.
I have seen red-tails, but never like this; this was almost a private showing. I can still see every detail of his beautiful body and intelligent face. To see these raptors uncaged, not in an aviary, not in a video, is a gift. My friend, who is not animal savvy and never saw any birds of prey, was so moved, he kept telling everyone we met throughout the afternoon about the experience. I am so glad for him to have had such a thrilling, personal experience, one he (and I) will long remember.
Thanks for listening….I just had to share my joy with other raptor lovers!!
Thanks for the identification tips–you helped me confirm that I saw a red-tail and not a peregrine today in New York’s Union Square.
Jim, you’re right. It’s a red-tailed hawk. Thanks for sharing the photo.
from pa here and me and my daughter have seing this hawk or falcon swoop down and take birds out of the air its looks gray and has a straight white line under each wing we been trying to find out what kind of prey this is and we had no luck online and books please help
i like falcon and is my job .am from morroco
i’m in kansas and i saw what looked like a hawk or falcon, but i’m having a very hard time identifying it. the most distinguishing feature was a single white bar on each wing.
and thank you for your blog, since i’ve moved to kansas from michigan i’ve seen many red-tailed hawks (they are everywhere here) and i like your pictures!
Penny, I’m not sure which hawk you’re seeing in Kansas in the winter. My best guess is one of these three:
Northern Harrier: Most notable for the white rump patch on juveniles. Adult males look completely different. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_harrier/id/ac
Ferruginous Hawk: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ferruginous_Hawk/id/ac
Rough-legged Hawk, a visitor only in winter: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rough-legged_Hawk/id/ac
The link below is to the Kansas birding list. Perhaps you’ll find some hints there and/or people to contact in your area:
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/KANS.html
that is really helpful, thanks so much!!!!
hawks are my favorite animal but i would always get them mixed up with falcons… until now.
Very interesting information. Yesterday was the second time I saw a hawk on the bush right in front of my apartment. This time I even got a picture of it..! I’m in the outskirts of the city kind of, but cars are always going by. I do however have a few bird feeders outside and lots of birds and even a pesty little chipmonk or two..err!! Most of my succulents have been eaten away this year mainly because it has been so dry and they are both hungry and thirsty. I even put out extra water for them.
Thank you so much for your help, for the past 6 months I couldn’t fiqure out what was right outside my window, it’s a Redtail Hawk!!!!!! Again thanks!!!