Juvenile Hawk or Falcon?

by Patty
(Petrolia, Ontario, Canada)

I noticed this bird of prey on our hay bales - I got as close as I could and using my zoom lens snapped these shots.

If someone knows what this is I would love to know for sure.

Any help is appreciated.

Thank you for sending your report and pictures - I'm sure one of our readers will be able to identify your mystery bird!

UPDATE: I am putting this report and pictures with the "Peregrine Falcons" section, because when I look at the second picture, the face really looks like a Peregrine to me.

Until I get more people writing in to tell me otherwise, I'm going to keep it there for now!

Comments for Juvenile Hawk or Falcon?

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Bird of prey
by: Brian

This is a female Kestrel.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Perigrine Falcon
by: W V

It's a immature Peregrine falcon!! Not a Red tail LOL
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Merlin
by: Anonymous

That is a Merlin. Definitely not a Red Tail.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Peregrine Falcon
by: Pat

I myself thought it had to be a type of falcon because of the facial stripes. In my area I think it could only be a juvenile peregrine falcon.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		What's this?
by: will

I'm new to birding and love spotting birds of prey. As for the identification of this bird, judging by the prominent vertical bands descending from the eyes, it seems to be a species of falcon.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		re: RTH
by: Anonymous

This is definitely a Red Tailed Hawk, you can tell by the breast color and the feathers. I see them fly by my balcony quite a bit chasing and catching the pigeons and sometimes the Seagulls.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Juvenile Hawk or Falcon?
by: Anonymous

It looks like a juvenile Red Tailed Hawk to me. I was visiting my parents' farm a few weeks ago, and I saw a juvenile RTH sitting on a hay bale, much like the picture in your photo. The parents were both sitting in trees (different ones), calling to the juvenile and the juvenile was calling back to the parents. The juvenile and parents stayed in their locations for some time, with the juvenile alternately hopping on the ground, back up on the hay bale, then on the ground again. All the while, they were calling to each other. They were a lot of fun to watch. :)

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