Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2023-02
| Common name: |
Red-shouldered Hawk |
| Scientific name: | Buteo lineatus |
| Date: | 12/29/2022 |
| Time: | 4:20 PM |
| Length of time observed: | 15 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | St. George (River Road/Boulder Springs Rd) |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | 37.0797584, -113.5536113 |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | ~12-15 m |
| Optical equipment: | 8x42 binoculars and 500 mm lens |
| Weather: | Overcast, low 40s |
| Light Conditions: | Fading, but adequate for viewing at fairly close range |
| Description: Size of bird: | Mid-sized Buteo |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Hawk |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Orange, brown, black, |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Hooked, sharp |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Observed during the St. George Christmas Bird Count. First observed by
my dad, John Schijf, about 30 minutes prior to my observation, but we
returned to the area together and found it in the same general location.
It was perched on a light pole directly above River Road (a busy main
road in St. George). After watching for about 10-15 minutes, it flew and
landed on the chimney of a nearby residence. Field notes based on memory and referring to my photos: Medium-sized Buteo. Solid orange upper-breast, transitioning to orange/white horizontal barring below (mostly orange) with paler belly. Brown head, dark bill, yellow cere. Upper-parts mostly brownish with contrasting white feather edging. Bold black and white mottled wings. Areas of rusty-brown on wing coverts and rusty shoulder patches. Fairly short wings and long tail projection (compared with other, more common Buteos). Banded tail, with thick black bands and thin white bands, and a thin white tip. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Silent |
| Behavior: | Perched, then flew a short distance and perched again. |
| Habitat: | Residential |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Elimination: Red-tailed Hawk: A larger Buteo.
Structurally with longer wings and shorter tail than RSHA. Plumage very
variable, but never showing blotchy black and white pattern of wings,
and extent of white on back. Juvenile would show much narrower tail
bands than RSHA. Cooper's Hawk: Similar color to underparts, and more similar overall to RSHA than to other common Buteos. But very different in many ways, including a longer tail and shorter wings, more slender overall. Also, completely different head color/pattern, and color/pattern to upper-parts. Broad-winged Hawk: Smaller than RSHA, with paler underparts, solid brownish upperparts, paler throat, and would be extremely unusual in Utah during winter. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Red-shouldered Hawk: I have seen this species twice previously in Utah and
10-15(ish) times in California, including in November when I observed several
and photographed one at close range in San Luis Obispo. Red-tailed Hawk: Very common, observed frequently. Cooper's Hawk: Very Common, observed frequently. Broad-winged Hawk: Limited experience, with one prior observation. |
| References consulted: | None needed for ID, but referred to Sibley app and 'Birds of the World' Online when compiling this report |
| Description from: |
From memory From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Mike Schijf |
| Observer's address: | Ivins, UT |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | John Schijf (original observer) |
| Date prepared: | 1/6/2023 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: |
|