Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis harlani), Santa Cruz Flats, Pinal County

This Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk was discovered and photographed by Mark Sharon on 21 January 2012.

Rare winter visitor to Arizona, but probably regular in small numbers. May be under-reported due to difficulty in separating it from more common subspecies of Red-tailed Hawk.

Adult bird due to dark trailing edge to the wing.  White tail therefore eliminates other subspeceis of Red-tailed Hawk.  Blackish color and white markings on breast, just visible in first photo, are characteristic of harlani.  Wrong shape for superficially similar dark morph Rough-legged Hawk.

21 January 2012, photo by Mark Sharon

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