At 11:28 PM 6/21/98 -0700, Jim McCoy wrote:
>Inevitably, the first time I visited Marymoor Park without binoculars in
hand, I was confronted with an interesting bird and a tough ID.
>
>Right around sunset we saw a raptor perched atop a pole. My immediate
impression was that it was too small to be a redtail, which was seemingly
confirmed after a crow started harassing it. They were proximal in size,
with the raptor perhaps being very slightly larger.
>
>The only field marks in the iffy light were a dark head and face,
including the chin, and a pronounced belly band, which was more reminiscent
of what you might see on a light-phase rough-legged hawk than on a redtail,
at least in my experience.
>
>It parachuted off the pole to grab some prey, but we didn't see whether it
succeeded, because we were blocked off from it's landing and its subsequent
flight. It seemed buteo-like with the primaries and tail feathers fanned,
but I could be convinced otherwise.
>
>Any ideas?

Yes, redtail. Sounds like a small one, which isn't very uncommon actually.
I've banded
three redtails that came in under 700 grams over the years, one which was
630 and
not particularly emaciated or anything. To put things in perspective, a
big female
Cooper's hawk will come in at 450-550 grams.

Dark head and belly band sounds like a redtail. Perch hunting sounds like a
redtail. Parachuting for prey as you describe sounds like a redtail. My
card-player's fondness for playing the odds also leads me to think redtail.


- Don Baccus, Portland OR <dhogaza at pacifier.com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, and other goodies at
http://donb.photo.net