smittyone@cox.net

Thanks folks.

Follow-up questions. Adults? Males, females?

This Snow Goose was seen yesterday in NW Missouri. Is it an adult intermediate-morph, or an immature bird? More importantly, is there an online (not FB) guide showing the numerous morphs, color stages of Snow Goose? I can identify adult white and adult blue morphs, but beyond those, I'm lost.

Photographed yesterday in NW Missouri. The adult male is easy to spot, but I'm not certain about the rest of them. I'm pretty sure the brown-headed one on the (viewer's) far right is an immature male (based on the white spot behind it's bill). The bird immediately to the adult male's right is an adult female, yes? The remaining generic brown birds (a pair leading), one immediately to the adult male's left, and the far one trailing, would all be immatures, correct? And who knows about the one diving/bathing. In the 2nd pic, I have 3 adult males leading, and 3 adult females trailing, right?

Seen today in NW Missouri. Gadwall maybe?

Seen today in NW Missouri

Just for fun, why is this not an Eastern (borealis)?

Yet another one from Loess Bluffs NWR in NW Missouri from January 2022. This young 'un has the features of a light morph Northern, abieticola. But for some inexplicable reason, I can't be certain. I accumulated over 1,000+ pics of this bird, from every possible angle, over several visits there. I am absolutely positive it's always the same individual. It looked the same, it was always found in the same area, and most importantly, was it's behavior. Very un-Red-tail-like, it was completely oblivious to humans being nearby. It hunted right in front of me on several occasions. Because of that, I can provide clear images from whatever angle is necessary, to make an informed ID decision. First 3 pics are from the 10th. The next three are from the 13th. The last pic is from the 17th.

Thanks Snake Fingers. I should've looked, but didn't.

Jerry Friedman, you out there?

I've got one maybe. Anyone else, please?

This adult was also seen January 2022 in NW Missouri. It was in the same location (give or take a mile or two) as the immature Northern abieticola identified here yesterday. For the same reasons as the immature bird, I'm calling this one a Northern as well. The last pic is the best view I could get of the upper tail.

Images captured in January last year in NW Missouri. Another one of those immature (yellow eyed) Red-tailed Hawks with a brick red tail. I think I originally called this one an Eastern, but now have 2nd thoughts. Because of the "blobby" underside, and light base of the tail, I'm going with a young (maybe light morph)_ Northern abieticola. What do you guys think? Also, because several of my recent Red-tailed Hawks were misidentified (by me), I'm now re-thinking many of my earlier calls. Expect a bunch of older, some maybe even seen before, pics to be posted for ID confirmation.

That's fine except borealis only comes in one morph.

The attached map was borrowed from the redtailedhawkproject.org. Although not indicated, I presume it depicts Red-tailed Hawk's breeding range. Based on this map, my birding area in eastern Nebraska southward, put's me in the western middle of borealis territory. But kriderii range is also within that same range. Where I typically bird, there aren't any boreal forests or higher humidity regions, where the "darker" versions of borealis should normally be seen. Therefore, my simplified logic dictates that, except for migration season, most, if not all the Eastern Red-tailed Hawks I encounter should all (or mostly) be Plains-type. What do I call borealis in my area that aren't the lighter Plains-type?

Wait...are we talking about the same bird? I though we'd settled on it being a juvenile.

It seems after a quick review of all of my Krider's hawks, using the above pale "Plains" Eastern (borealis) as a reference, it seem that many, if not most of what I thought were Krider's, have been misidentified. I'll still post them here just to be certain. I do still need clarification (in simplified terms) what a "Plains" version of borealis is. Is it a regional difference, or a plumage difference, or both. Are all pale borealis considered "Plains-type"? Because if that's the case, I have A LOT of them in my area. Is Plains the only sub-subspecies of borealis, or are there others?

I'm adding this bird to the original post because I'm about 90% sure it's the same bird. It was photographed in the area five days later. Do you guys agree?

I'm glad we've identified this bird. On the downside, now I have to submit every light Eastern Red-tailed Hawk I've ever called a Krider's. Every one of them, like this one, photographed within 20 miles of the Missouri River (both sides) from Missouri Valley in Iowa down to Mound City in Missouri. At least Jerry's FB experts will have a few more to mull over. Almost make me want to re-join Facebook again, no, wait...no it doesn't.

Oops. Sorry about that. I just looked for the next shots that showed decent spread wings without looking closely enough if it was the same bird. Both birds were photographed 9 minutes apart, and this was back in 2015, so I don't remember the exact sequence. This pic is, I'm 75 percent sure, the same bird.

So we're decided on an immature bird, likely a lighter than normal Eastern borealis. Easterns only come in light morph, right? And what is a "Plains" eastern??

These two throwaway pics are the best I have showing spread wings. I assumed they wanted underside. Unfortunately, I have no topside wingspread pics.

I've got a yes and a maybe not. Anyone else wanna chip in please? I've got lots more pics, but I think the ones I posted include all the necessary angles. The age question also remains unanswered

Thanks folks

DeSoto NWR near Missouri Valley, IA in August 2015. Is this light-colored Red-tailed Hawk a Krider's. Follow-up question. Since eye color can change slower than plumage changes, in this particular bird would you ignore the yellow eyes and call it an adult, based on its tail feathers?