Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis harlani), Parker Valley, La Paz County

This Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk was discovered by David Vander Pluym and Lauren Harter just south of the Ahakhav Tribal Preserve in the Parker Valley on 30 October 2012. The bird was very skittish and hard to photograph, typical of this taxa. It was photographed by David Vander Pluym on 30 October 2012

Rare winter visitor to Arizona, but probably regular in small numbers. May be under-reported due to difficulty in separating it from more common subspecies of Red-tailed Hawk.

Adult bird due to dark trailing edge to the wing.  Whitish tail therefore eliminates other subspeceis of Red-tailed Hawk.  Blackish color and white markings on breast are also characteristic of harlani.  Wrong shape for superficially similar dark morph Rough-legged Hawk.

30 October 2012, photo by David Vander Pluym

All photos are copyrighted© by photographer