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Maine hawk sounds11/7/2023 ![]() ![]() No belly band – look at the other Buteos on this list. While their red tails are the best field mark for this bird, the tails of juvenile or immature hawks are brown, making the ID more difficult. That red tail is so prominent that even if you’re looking up at the bird, the reddish tail can still be visible in most light. Adults are brown above, with that unique red tail. Seen from below, this is a pale bird with a dark “belly band”, dark fingers (wingtips), and edges of their flight feathers. You’ll find the eastern version of the Red-tailed Hawk, known as “Red-tailed Hawk” all over Maine, as most of the subspecies are found west of the Mississippi River. Red-tails come in 14 subspecies, all with different plumages. ![]() Pandionidae has only one member – the fish-eating Osprey. While Falcons are also accipiters, they are not hawks and will be covered in another one of our articles. Eastern Screech Owls, for example, come in three morphs – brown, grey, and red.Īccipiters are fast-moving birds with short, broad, rounded wings and long tails that make it easy for them to maneuver during flight. Light morphs are paler than “normal” birds. Morphs are typically lighter or darker versions of the normal feather hue.Ī dark morph Rough-legged hawk looks just like the field guide bird but is darker overall. This color difference is called a “morph”. ![]() While most raptors have a specific color to their feathers, Buteo hawks can have variations in that overall plumage. While Buteos are called “hawks” here in the US and Canada, they are known as “buzzards” throughout the rest of the world. The hawks found in Maine are broken down into three separate families: Buteos, Accipiters, and Pandionidae.īuteos are large raptors with short, wide tails, broad wings, and heavy, solid bodies. Other hawks and hawk-like birds that may be found in Maine.It may become a permanent resident over time.įor more Maine birding check out Backyard Birds in Maine, Woodpeckers in Maine, Owls in Maine, and Ducks in Maine. Of these migrant raptors, the Northern Goshawk is the only year-round resident, with the Red-Tailed Hawk now being seen all year in southern Maine. Most of the hawks seen in Maine are seasonal visitors. While Cooper’s Hawks are larger overall than the Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s male can be the same size as a Sharp-shinned female. This can make determining what you’re viewing problematic with some species, like the Coopers and Sharp-shinned. When identifying raptors, know that females are much larger than males. Owls are primarily nocturnal and hunt mostly at night. They are also referred to as Raptors (from the Latin “rapture” – to seize and carry off).Īll of these raptors with the exception of owls are diurnal, meaning that they hunt during the day. Hawks are part of a group known as Birds of Prey, which consists of hawks, eagles, falcons, owls, condors, and vultures. This is a listing of 9 species of hawks that can be found in Maine. ![]()
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