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Harlan’s / Light Phase Red-tailed Hawk

May8

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Recently Terry Korolyk spotted an interesting hawk on Hwy 549 just west of Hwy 773, south of Calgary.  Terry says it is an intergrade Harlan’s light phase Red-tailed Hawk.

Terry says:

Thought some Birds Calgary viewers might like to see what this bird looked like. The underparts are obviously a mix of both subspecies. The underside of the tail is obviously white with duskiness near the tip. The upperside of the tail was, in reality, white with a reddish subterminal band and 2 narrower wavy reddish bands adjacent to that.

Photographed by Terry Korolyk on April 6, 2012.  Click to enlarge.

To fully appreciate the bird in the photo, look at images of adult Harlan’s Hawks and of adult Eastern Red-tails, then look at my bird again. Rather than blackish underparts with a white streaked throat like a Harlan’s Hawk, or, rather than having white underparts with a strongly streaked belly like an Eastern Red-tail, you have a bird with underparts markings that meet in between. The upperparts are clearly blackish like a Harlan’s Hawk, but they also have that Eastern Red-tail brownish cast. The tail was white like a Harlan’s Hawk, but, rather than having a dusky tip, it had 3 narrow wavy reddish lines there indicating normal light-phase Eastern Red-tail association.

As Terry says, the usual Red-tailed Hawks here are the Eastern subspecies, and “Harlan’s” Hawks are considered to be another subspecies of Red-tailed Hawk.  At one time, Harlan’s Hawk was considered to be a separate species entirely. Intergrades like the one above indicate that they are varieties of one species (many people believe that Harlan’s is a separate species; perhaps genetic testing will settle this question).

The Harlan’s Hawk is very different from all other Red-tailed Hawk subspecies.  In both its dark and light forms it has black and white plumage, lacking the reds and browns of other Red-tails.  The tail, however, can have a wide variety of patterns.  Harlan’s Hawk breeds in Alaska and northwestern Canada and winters on the southern great plains.  We see them occasionally in Calgary in the winter months, when most other Red-tailed Hawks are absent.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: May 7

May8

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

May 5:
CHIPPING SPARROW, HERMIT THRUSH, 200 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 3 WHITE-THROATED
SPARROWS at IBS, Gus Yaki with FFCPP.

May 6:
BOBOLINK , N side of junction of Hwy 68/Hwy 1, Dave Elphinstone.
PALM WARBLER, IBS, various observers.
BLACKPOLL WARBLER, 3 SWAINSON’S THRUSHES, SAY’S PHOEBE at Dinosaur PP, Marcel Gahbauer.
BANK, BARN, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED and TREE SWALLOWS, various reports.
SAY’S PHOEBE pair, Votier’s Flats, FCPP, Terry Korolyk.
SWAINSON’S THRUSH, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, Beaverdam Flats, Steve Kassai.
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (Caurinus) and a possible WHITE-FACED x GLOSSY IBIS Third Lake, Hwy 552, 224St SE, TK.
2 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 2 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, slough at Hwy 547/ Rnge Rd 255, TK.
60 WHITE-FACED IBIS SE corner Basin 2, Frank Lake, Andrew Slater.
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, LONG-BILLED CURLEW, 20 WESTERN GREBES, Frank Lake, AS.
WESTERN GREBE east of Shepherd, Andrew Hart.
3 THAYER’S GULLS (one very pale), LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, IBS, Ilya Povalyaev.

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday May 10.

Sunday Showcase: Spring Willets

May6

More great bird trips and photos from Marg Matheson and Alan Plumb.

Sunday Showcase: Great Horned Owl Chicks

Apr29

Shirley Otway has shared some adorable pictures of the newest generation of Great-horned Owls in Fish Creek Park, and one of their exhausted parents!

Wednesday Wings: Sharp-shinned Beauty

Apr25

Beginning birder Marg Matheson is again sharing her stunning photos with us. This has clearly been the year of the Sharp-shinned Hawk, as we’ve received countless reports and photos of their appearance from many different locations.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: April 19

Apr20

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

Bird Sightings:

April 16
–THAYER’S GULL (second year), Glenmore Reservoir, Terry Korolyk
–VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, Carburn Park, Gus Yaki and Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park

April 17
–COMMON LOON, Carburn Park, GY and FFCPP
–LINCOLN’S SPARROW, Confederation Park, Ed Kissinger.
–RUSTY BLACKBIRD, same, same

April 18
–RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (7), near dam at S end of Chestermere Lake, TK
–RED-TAILED HAWK (leucistic), FCPP, TK
–NELSON’S GULL (i.e. Glaucous Gull/Herring Gull hybrid), Sunset Park, Chestermere lake, E side of lake, just S of Hwy 1A, TK
–TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE (8), E side of Confederation Park near 10 St, David Pugh
–SAVANNAH SPARROW, same, same
–COMMON REDPOLL (10), Silver Springs neighborhood, NW Calgary, Gary Malcolm
–AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, E side of Confed. Park, DP

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday April 23.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: April 16

Apr19

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

APR 13

TURKEY VULTURE – just south of the dam at Chestermere Lake, Yousif Attia
GLAUCOUS GULL – adult at Weed Lake, YA; adult and 1st year at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Ilya Povalyaev
THAYER’S GULL – 1st year at Sunset Park on the east side of Chestermere Lake, YA; 1st yr at IBS, by IP
GYRFALCON – gray morph at McElroy Slough just NE of Chestermere, YA

APR 14

BLUE-WINGED-GREEN-WINGED TEAL hybrid – slough east of Shepard, Terry Korolyk
EURASIAN-AMERICAN WIGEON hybrid male – as above
BEWICK’S-TUNDRA SWAN hybrid – as above
RED-NECKED GREBE – reported in Calgary area over weekend
HORNED GREBE – as above
EARED GREBE – as above
PIED-BILLED GREBE – as above
THAYER’S GULL – two 1st year in the SW corner of Chestermere Lake, TK

APR 15

COMMON TEAL – on the south side of the marsh on the west side of the Hwy 799-338 Ave SE junction north of Blackie, TK
EURASIAN WIGEON – 2 male and a female at Hwy 547 and Rge Rd 255 as well as a male and female on Blizzard Lake at 160 St SE just south of Hwy 552, TK
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE-BARNACLE GOOSE hybrid – in the Irricana Sloughs onthe slough on Rge Rd 264 between Twp Rd 262 and 264, Joan and Malcolm Macdonald
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER – Twp Rd 264 west of Rge Rd 262, J & MM
PEREGRINE FALCON – on Hwy 547 east of Hwy 799, TK
WILSON’S SNIPE – 8 on Hwy 564 near Cochrane, J & MM
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (AUDUBON’S) – at the Boat launch in east Fish Creek PP; Janet Gill
TREE SWALLOW – 750 at the Boat launch in Fish Creek PP; Bob Lefebre and Friends of Fish Creek PP

The next scheduled update of the bird alert is on Thu Apr 19.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: April 12

Apr13

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

Bird Sightings:

April 09
–SWAINSON’S HAWK, Water Valley, Eddie Matoud
–WILD TURKEY, E. side of Bow River opp. Pearce Estates
–GREAT GRAY OWL, SW of Water Valley, Ron Kube

April 10
–SNOW GOOSE (40), Hwy 564 and RR 255 NW of Strathmore, Richard Clarke
–BLACK-NECKED STILT (4), Linden, Corinne Griffin
–LESSER BLACKED GULL, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Ilya Povalyaev
–RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, Windham-Carseland PP, RC
–AMERICAN PIPIT, Boat launce at Fish Creek Provincial Park, Gus Yaki and FFCPP Soc.
–FOX SPARROW, Temple neighborhood, Calgary, Amanda Bradley

April 11
–TURKEY VULTURE, FCPP Mallard Pt., near Sue Higgins bridge, Mike and Jane Potter
–AMERICAN AVOCET, Weed Lake (2), RC; slough on Hwy 40 W of Siksika Res. (3)M&JP
–SNOWY OWL, ice at Weed Lake, M&JP
–RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, Confederation Park, NW Calgary, David Pugh
–AMERICAN PIPIT (40), Boat Launch FCPP, Gus Yaki and FFCPPSoc
–YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, behind Shawnessy Library, Michael and Louise Geldorp

April 12
–YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, Mallard Pt., FCPP, Terry Korolyk

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Monday April 16.

Wednesday Wings: Northern Saw-whet Owl

Apr11

Blog readers Elizabeth Sargent and Greg Earle sent us some absolutely stunning Northern Saw-whet Owl pictures that Greg took in Carburn Park. They visited on March 31, and were lucky enough to find this little guy at breast height in a thicket of bushes near the river. We’ve had a lot of great saw-whet owl photos on the blog in recent months, but these are just spectacular! Click to enlarge.

Rare Bird Alert Calgary: April 9

Apr10

Have you seen an unusual bird in Calgary? If it is on this Reportable_Birds (PDF), please report it to the Nature Calgary Rare Bird Alert line at 403 221-4519 and leave a message after the beep at the end of the recording. If you would like some help with species identification, us email us at birdscalgary@gmail.com.  To report injured wildlife call the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403 239-2488, or the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation at 403 946-2361.

Bird Sightings:

April 4:
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRES (5) in Calgary Braeside, Shonna McLeod.

April 5:
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRES (6) in Calgary Strathcona, Sandy Ayer.
GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES (100) western edge of Calgary, John Bargman.
THAYER’S GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL,(2) IBS, Bill Wilson & Ilya Pulalyaev?

April 6:
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW in northeast Calgary, Lois & Bill Lang.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, AMERICAN KESTRELS (2) near Brooks, Ray Woods, Brian Elder, Phil Cram, Mike Mulligan.
AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS (2) at the Carseland Weir, Shirley Otway.
HARLEQUIN DUCK, male at Inglewood BS, Tony Timmons & CFNS.
EURASIAN WIGEONS at McElroy Slough, Terry Korolyk.
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, IBS, Bill Wilson.

April 7:
EASTERN PHOEBE in the Weaselhead, west end of Glenmore Res., Gus Yaki & FFCPP.
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, SONG SPARROWS (6), FOX SPARROWS (5) at the Hay Meadows raptor watch,Mt Lorette, Kananaskis, Jim Davis.
TREE SWALLOWS (6), GREATER YELLOWLEGS (3) in Hull’s Wood/Lefarge Meadows FCPP, Tony Timmons and CFNS.
LESSER YELLOWLEGS (2), GREATER YELLOWLEGS (8) at Ralph Klein Park, Terry Korolyk.
GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES (80), near Water Valley, Doug Collister.
HARLAN’S x LIGHT PHASE RED-TAILED HAWK Hwy 549 west of Hwy 23, TK.
HARLAN’S RED-TAILED HAWK (3) Hwy 22X, TK.

April 8:
MOURNING DOVE in Calgary Varsity, Shirley Haig.
GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES on Larsen Pasture Rd off Grand Valley Road NW of Cochrane, Andrew Slater.
LONG-TAILED DUCK female at Carseland Weir, Joan & Malcolm MacDonald.
ROSS’ GOOSE, a few with SNOW GOOSE (5000) at ? Lake near Lomond, Richard Clarke.
NORTHERN HAWK OWL, GREAT GREY OWL SW of Water Valley, Andrew Slater.

The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is on Thursday April 12.