I think we can eliminate the yellow sere or lack of it, as being an important ID factor. For example, see this immature Red-tailed Hawk has an obvious yellow sere: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/fall-2016/six-quick-questions-help-you-identify-red-tailed <https://www.audubon.org/magazine/fall-2016/six-quick-questions-help-you-identify-red-tailed>

A qyuick answer, without a leading question, from a very good Santa Barbara birder was that it is an immature Red-shouldered. He wasn't committed to that as positive though. He has Red-sholudered Hawks that nest behind hs house.

Jeff Gilligan
















> On Mar 12, 2022, at 9:24 AM, J. Acker <Owler at sounddsl.com> wrote:

>

> I'm not so sure about imm Red-Shouldered. This bird appears to be a buteo, and a chunky one. Red shoulders are more slender / less bulky looking. Also the number and width of the tail bars is not matching up with the photos I have viewed online of red-shouldered. Additionally, the cere should be yellowish in a red-shouldered and this photo has an all dark bill and cere.

> But I am confused as to what this bird is also.

>

> J. Acker

> Owler at sounddsl.com <mailto:Owler at sounddsl.com>

> Bainbridge Island, WA

> Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows

> From: BURT CUNNINGHAM <mailto:burtc_8 at msn.com>