Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis harlani), Santa Cruz Flats, Pinal County

This Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk was discovered by Tom Johnson and Melissa Roach and photographed by Tom Johnson on 27 February 2011.

Appears to be a rare but regular winter visitor.  Probably underreported because it is difficult to identify and because subspecies are often overlooked.

Adult because of dark border to flight feathers.  Dark morph Harlan's Red-tailed Hawks are fairly variable, but this individual has several "classic" characteristics including a whitish gray tail, white streaking on the chest, and white marbling on the face. This individual was very skittish, not allowing approach within about 150 meters, which is typical of this oddly wary taxon.

27 February 2011, photo by Tom Johnson

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