Four different Buteos, same field

[smittyone@cox.net]

I encountered 4 different Buteos in the same freshly tilled farmer's field late Wednesday afternoon in St. Mary's Island WMA, south of Council Bluffs, IA.  They stood between 50-75 yards from each other, and varying distances from where I stood at the edge  of the field.  The first 2 pics (same bird) I think is a Harlan's RTHA.  The 2nd pair of pics I'm pretty certain is a Swainson's Hawk.  The next pic (pretty far away) I have no idea what type of hawk.  The last pic (very far away) I think is a Krider's RTHA.

[akandula]

All of these are Swainson's. The first four photos are adults while the last two are a juvenile.

The brown hood and pale belly on the adults and streaked breast on the juvenile rule out Red-tailed.

[Charlie Spencer]

I can't speak to the first four but the structure on the last two isn't suggestive of any Red-tailed.  The birds aren't broad enough through the shoulders or chest, and are almost 'pencil necked'.

Great photos!

Edited May 8, 2020 by Charlie Spencer

[Jefferson Shank]

 

All of these are Swainson's. The first four photos are adults while the last two are a juvenile.

The brown hood and pale belly on the adults and streaked breast on the juvenile rule out Red-tailed.

agreed

[Kevin]

1 hour ago, akandula said:

All of these are Swainson's. The first four photos are adults while the last two are a juvenile.

The brown hood and pale belly on the adults and streaked breast on the juvenile rule out Red-tailed.

I agree.

[Bird Brain]

2 hours ago, akandula said:

All of these are Swainson's. The first four photos are adults while the last two are a juvenile.

The brown hood and pale belly on the adults and streaked breast on the juvenile rule out Red-tailed.

I agree also.

[RobinHood]

I have just been doing a catch-up on the ID threads and adding likes for the original providers of accurate IDs (the OPs don't always oblige) but now out of likes.

A bit more ammo would be helpful.