[obol] Harlan's Hawk in Central Oregon

[Craig Miller]

Hi all,

There is so much variability in Red-tailed Hawks that I don't usually 
spend much time trying to sort out the various morphs, races and 
subspecies. However, I observed what I can only conclude was a 
"Harlan's" Red-tailed Hawk this morning.

I was outside our house and noticed a raptor off in the distance flying 
toward me from the north. My first thought was "Red-tailed Hawk." It 
looked dark silhouetted against the sky, so I waited for it to get at a 
better angle. It banked, and much to my surprise I saw an all-white tail 
against an otherwise dark back. As it came closer, and then flew by, I 
noticed dark underwing coverts with gray primaries and tail, all dark 
head, and dark upperparts with an all-white tail. The dark head and 
small build ruled out Bald Eagle, and the dark head combined with an 
all-white tail (not just a white band) ruled out dark morph Rough-legged 
Hawk. I don't think it was a dark morph Ferruginous Hawk, because it had 
no rufous tones, and there was no white feathering on the upper primaries.

I believe there have been a few reports of Harlan's Hawk in Central 
Oregon in the past, but this is a first for me. Do any of you raptor 
aficionados out there have some insights on the occurrence of this 
Red-tail subspecies in Oregon?

Craig Miller
gismiller at gmail.com