So, I’ve asked lots of birders, photographers, and hawk fans, and most say that this is a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk. But there’s still a strong contingent voting for Cooper’s Hawk. We have both here in our Wetlands. What do YOU think??
Young Red-shouldered or Cooper’s?
Birder's Journey 
Not a clue but it is a great shot. 😊
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Thanks so much!☀️
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Beautiful pose no matter what it is📸
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Beautiful bird 😉…thanks, Berny!!
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And so it continues….😂. Coppers have a ‘flatish’ head. Red-shoulders have a plan chest, not tear drop patterns. Flamingo
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Lol, thanks! I had just scheduled this for today when I saw your recent Hawk ID post the other day.
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Have you tried the Merlin app on a phone? Works well, certainly an option. And if it’s wrong blame on Merlin 😂😂
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Yes… I used both Merlin and iNaturalist. Both came up with BOTH options, tho iNaturalist Research Grade finally settled on Red-shouldered.
Thanks for the tips about the head shape and teardrop shapes on breast feathers.
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That’s very interesting! What evidence does each camp ADDUCE?
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There’s a lot out there about this question, but here’s a site that’s pretty thorough:
https://a-z-animals.com/blog/red-shouldered-hawk-vs-coopers-hawk/
Here’s an excerpt: “Cooper’s hawk has a luxurious gray upper feather appearance, while the red shouldered hawk is known for its rusty red feathers. These feathers are located primarily on the chest, or the underbelly of the bird. A red shouldered hawk has unique and intricate black and white striped feathers on their wings and tails, while Cooper’s hawks do not have this. While both of these birds of prey have long tail feathers, the wingspan of the Cooper’s hawk is rounded, while the wingspan of the red shouldered hawk is square. However, the main way of telling these two birds apart is by looking out for a red shouldered hawk’s red shoulders, a feature not shared by the Cooper’s hawk.”
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Since this bird is a juvenile, there are also differences in that age that look different than in adults. ☺️
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Try a DNA test!!!!!!!!!!!
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Now that’s a good idea! I wonder if that’s where ornithology research is heading…☺️
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Beautiful images, whatever they may be!
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It is a beautiful bird! Thanks for enjoying it with me, Ann.
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Beautiful shot. I’d vote Red-shouldered, but I wouldn’t place much money on my wager!
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Every vote counts! Thanks, Kathy.
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I’m guessing it’s a Cooper’s hawk. Have you gone to All About Birds? They have a way for you to compare similar species. I’m basing my guess on the breast feather spots but could be wrong. Click through the photos to get pictures of immature birds on this page: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-shouldered_Hawk/species-compare/60324931
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Thanks for your visit and for sharing these tips! Yes, I use All About Birds all the time, and always find their comparisons so helpful. Despite checking many sources, it was still a toss up on this handsome juvenile.☺️
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I think it’s a Red Shouldered Hawk.
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I think so, too, Alice! This youngster was at Wako one recent morning.
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Beautiful young raptor!
Field marks indicate an immature Red-shouldered Hawk. The overall body shape is a bit bulkier than a Cooper’s, the head appears rounder than the somewhat flat profile of a Cooper’s, the eye seems more brown than the yellow of a young Cooper’s (although that could be due to angle and light), the tail of most immature Cooper’s I’ve seen are distinctly striped as opposed to this bird’s more subtle pattern. The markings on the breast are very typical of a young Red-shouldered.
After all that, I am NOT an expert of any sort! Someone may give us a better summary so we can proceed to a —
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Wow, that’s a terrific summary, Wally!! Thanks so much.
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