The year round range of the
Red-shouldered Hawk is primarily south of New York State. Their breeding range includes New York and these birds are being seen overwintering around NYC with increasing frequency. This juvenile bird is one of at least 3 individuals that has been spotted around Brooklyn this winter.
I saw a juvenile hawk in Sunset Park yesterday - thought it was a Red-Tailed but maybe it was one of these guys? A park worker told me he's seen it often, so I'll have to get a better look. It certainly wasn't bothered by people, as it perched on a low branch and didn't mind a crowd gathering underneath.
ReplyDeleteCheck for a belly-band. The brown streaks on the underside of a red-tailed form a band across the mid-section. On a red-shouldered the streaks should begin on the upper-breast and end before the belly. Look at the pics in this posting - http://citybirder.blogspot.com/2011/02/brooklyn-hawk-release.html
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