Wow – what a great response! We hope you had fun with this.
We wanted to use this activity as way to talk about identification, before you
grab a field guide, and concentrate on plumage color. Field identification has many components to
it, as we are sure any of you know who has tried to identify a bird you
saw. There are many benefits to seeing the actual bird as opposed to the still
photo that was posted. You get to ask yourself
questions and observe things like: how fast or deep wing are the wing flaps? How does the body turn if the bird wants to
change direction in flight? Does it take
longer? Is it quick? Let’s apply some external factors like wind
and other weather to that, too!
Habitat also matters! Where did you see the bird? Was it in
an open area like a field? (In this
case, the bird was photographed over an open agricultural area.) Or was it more urban – perhaps on your way to
get coffee or a paper? What state do you live in? And for most of us – the time of year also
matters, as migration means "out of towners" and increases the
chances of seeing species we don’t always encounter.
Okay – let’s talk some
specifics! We cannot hope to cover all
the details in just one post, so we will choose a few main points.
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| Mystery raptor! |
A key here for this hawk (yes, it is
a hawk!) is the relatively long and narrow wing, in relation to the rest of the
body. It is not helpful to think of actual length or width overall in
comparison to other hawks; instead think about just the body of the bird in
question. Even in a quick view, did the wing seem longer or shorter? How about the width? And let’s look at the tail – does it seem
longer or shorter in comparison to the body?
Red-tailed hawks are often a good comparison, since many of us have seen
them. Does the wing in the photo seem longer
in proportion to the body in the photo, than a red-tailed hawk’s wings to its’
body? How about the tail? Can you ask the same questions?
The wingtips are pronounced and
spread in the photo, but that does not in itself definitely help you identify
the species. Birds can manipulate tracts
of feathers in response to their desire to gain height in a rising column of
air called a thermal, change direction, or increase speed. So – this same
bird can change the overall “silhouette” of its wings. Don’t always assume “wingtips” mean
hawk! Falcons, eagles, osprey and
vultures will all utilize the same mechanics of flight.
 |
Young bald eagle - with some plumage detail
but concentrate on the silhouette. |
 |
Here is the bird, as a backlit photo, but with
some plumage cues seen. |
A couple of you raised the question
of “hard to get size with nothing in relation.”
That is true; no trees were around to help. But let’s look at an eagle for example; the
overall body and wing presents as a larger bird. Seeing it in flight would have aided no doubt
as you watched the heavier, deeper wing flaps. The wing is very long and broad.
 |
| Same bird! Look at how the wings are held! |
 |
| Same bird, too! |
Whew! Have you revised your guess at all? It is a Swainson’s hawk! It was taken about two weeks ago, in north
central South Dakota. Here are some more
photos of the same bird, to show you how this same individual might “appear”
differently depending on which second you looked at it!
These identification tips are meant to help you, as you find raptors in your
own town/state, or if you travel elsewhere.
Thinking about body and tail shape, length, and using a matrix of time
of year and habitat/location might give you great clues before you grab your
trusty field guide!
