Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus), lower Florida Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Pima County

This Short-tailed Hawk was photographed by Tonya Holland on 23 April 2015

Short-tailed Hawk has been expanding its range northward and increasing in Arizona for the last several years and it has bred. However most reports are from montane forest in the southern "sky islands". This individual was soaring high above the trailhead.

Nearly pure white underparts including chin & throat and underwing linings. Dark brown crown & auriculars with white chin giving helmeted appearance. Whitish base to black tipped primaries. Secondaries progressively darker to broad black band at tips.

23 April 2015, photo by Tonya Holland

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