Items17The creator’s order
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Turkey VultureLook for long wings raised into a shallow V and an unsteady rocking glide. From below, the flight feathers look pale along most of each wing, behind a darker front section. A Black Vulture usually shows its pale patches out near the tips. A high Turkey Vulture can show little or no red on the head…0 - 2
Black vultureA short, nearly square tail and broad wings give this vulture a compact shape. The wings often look nearly level in a glide. Watch for a few quick flaps, then a glide. Pale feathers on the underside are concentrated near the wingtips. A Turkey Vulture has pale flight feathers along much more of…0 - 3
Bald eagleBald Eagles usually soar on broad, flat wings with a substantial head projecting in front. A white head and white tail are the adult pattern. A young Bald Eagle can be mostly dark with patches of white under its wings. Its big bill and the way the head sticks out are useful checks against Golden…0 - 4
Golden eagleIn a glide, a Golden Eagle usually shows less head in front of the wings than a Bald Eagle. A young bird may have neat white patches on both wings and a white tail base that ends in a wide dark band. Adults can appear almost uniformly brown from far away, so shape matters when you can’t see the…0 - 5
OspreyFrom below, look for long wings bent at the wrists, with a dark patch at each bend and barred flight feathers behind them. The body is mostly white. Over water, an Osprey may hover before plunging feetfirst for a fish. The wing shape, dark wrists, and fishing behavior work well together.0 - 6
Northern harrierWatch a long-tailed bird quartering low over a marsh or field with wings slightly raised. A white rump patch often flashes when it banks. A gray adult male and a brown female can look quite different in color, but they share that rump patch and the same low searching flight.0 - 7
Red-tailed hawkBroad wings and a broad, rounded tail are the first clues. Look for a dark bar along the front of each underwing from shoulder toward wrist. A pale bird often shows a darker belly band too. Many adults have a rusty tail, but a young bird’s tail is usually brown with narrow bars.0 - 8
Red-shouldered hawkWhen the bird is backlit, look for a pale translucent crescent near the end of each wing. The tail has alternating dark and light bands. Adults often show a warm reddish chest, but the wing windows can help with a younger bird. Body color alone varies with region and age.0 - 9
Broad-winged hawkCompared with a Red-tailed Hawk, a Broad-winged Hawk looks compact, with a short tail and wing tips that can look pointed in a glide. Light-morph adults show pale underwings with a dark trailing edge and a boldly banded tail. In fall, many may circle together on migration.0 - 10
Swainson's hawkIts wings are long and pointed, giving it a slimmer profile than a Red-tailed Hawk. A light-morph adult has pale underwing coverts, dark flight feathers, and a dark chest bib. Very dark birds show less contrast. Start with the long, pointed shape in open country in the West.0
