What is this bird?

[Yarak_Eric]

I always feel a little "special" when I can't recognize a fairly common (I'm assuming) bird. I was looking at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Center's calendar birds and was stumped as to what this bird is. http://www.rmrp.org/images/stories/feha.jpg

Just wanted to know for sure what this was before I made a stupid assumption and made a fool out of myself.

[HallBeck]

Ferruginous Buzzard (Hawk in US) Buteo regalis

[Yarak_Eric]

that did pass through my mind, but I didn't think their head and breast were so light. It's a gorgeous bird though whatever it is.

[HallBeck]

that did pass through my mind, but I didn't think their head and breast were so light. It's a gorgeous bird though whatever it is.

There is a dark morph too - but thats much darker. They are beautiful aren't they? :)

[Yarak_Eric]

Gorgeous! I'm guessing this is one as well?

http://www.rmrp.org/images/stories/carinprogramfeha.jpg

I'm thinking I'ma have to hunt with one of those someday. They don't appear to have that big of feet however?

[HallBeck]

Thats another one!

They don't have big feet - but they are incredibly powerful. They are under rated over here - maybe they get better press your side of the pond.

If you have some open country - they are certainly worth considering.

[As The Falcon Her Bells]

Certainly looks like it. i saw a wild one in North America a coupple of years ago on the side of the road, its something special seeing any bird in the wild. Even though i trained them and seen plenty of captive ones it is the wild one that stayed in my heart.

[Yarak_Eric]

those red edged black feathers are gorgeous...I can't get over it.

[Yarak_Eric]

Next one...but I actually Know the answer to this....

What is this bird!

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/birds/albino_swainsons/albino%20Swainsons11_small.jpg

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/birds/albino_swainsons/albino_Swainsons_10_small.jpg

[HallBeck]

Wild stab in the dark - albino Swainsons Hawk?

[Yarak_Eric]

well that was less than difficult then aye?

[Yarak_Eric]

Been posted on the forum before?

Photo taken in northern Colorado south of Wyoming: North Park, Arapaho NWR, Walden, Jackson County, Colorado. Photo taken by Mark Lanier/USFWS of a partial albino on 8/18/06
"It was approached very close (5 feet), across an open field. Even at the close distance, I had to move my hands a bit to get it to turn around as I was trying get a good look all the way around it looking for any non-white coloration. It just didn't seem as wary as an adult should be. I've seen it fly 3 times, and it never was more than maybe 30 feet in the air, and for the most part flapping. When it did soar for brief periods, the wings were held slightly up like a Swainson's instead of the flatter profile of a Redtail. I have only noted one "parent" - at a time anyway - and it seems distressed and circles when I am out of the vehicle, and when I moved in for the pictures. Last Friday, the albino, and an adult Swainson's were on the ground less than 10 feet from each other on a sage hillside when I was driving by. There has been another(?) family group of Swainson's about 1/2 mile north of where I have seen this bird consisting of at least 3 juveniles and 1-2 adults, but I have not seen this bird, nor has anyone reported seeing it with more than one other Swainson's. Yesterday afternoon I encountered it again on the sagebrush hillside. I parked about 50 yards away and it walked on the ground, and jumped from sagebrush to sagebrush uphill about 20 yards further. It then flew in an arc around me at about the same altitude - 15-20 feet - and lit on the same sagebrush hillside but about 100 yards further south. The adult Swainson's was apparently not in the area when I first arrived, but did show up a few minutes later, circling me and calling continuously, and the albino was calling back from the ground. Can't recall much more right now, but my impressions were: not much fear of me, still seemed to be finding its wings and little uncomfortable flying, and an adult bird seemingly agitated with my presence - point to a juvenile." Mark Lanier, 8/2006

[Yarak_Eric]

I guess one can see the properties of the image as well and figure it out couldn't they?

[HallBeck]

I had never seen that photo before - so i leave you to ponder whether:-

A I am a genius - or
B You posted picture with the title - "albino Swainsons"

:)

[Yarak_Eric]

as much as I'd love to give you the benefit of the doubt....I'ma go with answer B! :supz:

[DirtHawking]

That is not an albino bird! That is a luesistic bird. An albino would lack pigmentation in the eyes thus giving the look of red eyes. Albino is lacking all pigmentation. Luesistic is lacking all dark pigmentation. Mellanistic would be lacking all light pigmentation. As you can see in the photo that bird does not have red eyes.