Today was a pretty slow day for the scanning project. We wrapped up our sample of broad-winged hawks (Buteo platypterus), and started on Swainson's hawks (Buteo swainsoni). I don't think it's really necessary to include the broad-wings here, again, but I love Swainson's hawks. They were the "summer hawks" when I lived in Laramie, replaced by rough-legged hawks (Buteo lagopus) during the winter. The Swainson's overwinter in South America, and the rough-legs travel far north into Canada during the summer. Red tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are year-round residents in Laramie, and absolutely ubiquitous around here in N.C. And, on another positive note, I have already scanned a bunch of rough-legs and red tails, so with this post, I am working on reducing the backlog of species to post!
Soaring Swainson's hawk (Buteo swainsoni). The dark bib and dark trailing edges of the wings are the telltale marks of a Swainson's. Photo credit: Steven Mlodinow via Macauley Library.
The winter hawk, a rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus). The dark carpal patches and belly band are their diagnostic features. Photo credit: Rodney Crice via Macauley Library.
Apparently, this red tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) spotted the camera! Dark shoulder patches, and of course (sometimes), the brilliant rust-red tail are diagnostic of this species. Photo credit: Brian Sullivan via Macauley Library.