Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus), Along the Old Baldy Trail in Madera Canyon, just below Josephine Saddle, Santa Cruz County

This juvenile Short-tailed Hawk was found in upper Madera Canyon along the Old Baldy Trail below Josephine Saddle on 13 Sept., 2008 by Dave Stejskal and Julie Hecimovich. It was photographed by Dave at the same time. 

Short-tailed Hawk has only recently invaded s. Arizona from w. Mexico. To date, the only photographically documented records have come from the Chiricahua (where it has nested) and Huachuca Mts., and from Tucson.  Another accepted record comes from the Pinal Mountains.  There are also sight reports from the Pinaleno Mountains, and from north of Phoenix near Black Canyon City. There were two prior sight reports of this species from the Santa Rita Mts. (as recently as May, 2008), but these photos are the first to physically document Short-tailed Hawk from this range. This individual was in very fresh juvenile plumage, raising the possibility that this species is now nesting in the Santa Ritas as well.

13 September 2008, photo by Dave Stejskal

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