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Birders

Mousetoescamper

(5,509 posts) Sun Sep 11, 2022, 02:53 PM Sep 2022

Re: Need some help identifying a bird - Mystery likely solved [View all]

Last edited Mon Sep 12, 2022, 08:50 AM - Edit history (2)

Thanks to Croney's post (17) I now think it's most likely an adult light morph broad-winged hawk.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Broad-winged_Hawk/photo-gallery/71534291

And thanks to everyone who replied!

I was searching my photo archives for potential photo contest entries and found these neglected shots. I'd appreciate any help in identifying this bird. I took the photos in Canaan Valley, WV in September of 2014. The bird was smaller than a red-tailed hawk and very fast.

18 replies

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Highlight:

Re: Need some help identifying a bird - Mystery likely solved [View all] Mousetoescamper Sep 2022 OP

Word is the bird. Sneederbunk Sep 2022 #1

I am going to keep an eye on this MuseRider Sep 2022 #2

No expert, but a good guess multigraincracker Sep 2022 #3

Sparrow hawk? Kestrel? LakeArenal Sep 2022 #4

Merlin would be my guess. Walleye Sep 2022 #5

That was my guess as well. Mousetoescamper Sep 2022 #10

Cooper's hawk, maybe. tblue37 Sep 2022 #6

I'm going with Cooper's Hawk. Thanks! Mousetoescamper Sep 2022 #16

Maybe Timewas Sep 2022 #7

Female kestrel Sanity Claws Sep 2022 #8

My guess, Coopers Hawk. Smaller than a red tail, fast and usually around my bird feeder. dem4decades Sep 2022 #9

You and tblue37 guessed Cooper's and that looks like it could be the bird, but if you enlarge Mousetoescamper Sep 2022 #11

I couldn't really see much in that shot. dem4decades Sep 2022 #12

Brightened the shot. Mousetoescamper Sep 2022 #13

I'm going with Cooper's Hawk. Thanks! Mousetoescamper Sep 2022 #15

I'm going with dem4decades and tblue37's guesses of Cooper's Hawk. Thanks, everyone, for the help! Mousetoescamper Sep 2022 #14

The birder in my family says it is a broad-winged hawk. Croney Sep 2022 #17

Thanks, Croney! I think your birder has correctly identified my mystery bird. Mousetoescamper Sep 2022 #18