SE Colorado Birding

Birding and discussion: A conservation-oriented birding blog that emphasizes low-impact birding and sustainable birding practices together with the enjoyment of birds. Southeast Colorado offers a diversity of habitats which provide premiere birding opportunities. Save Sabal Palm

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Swainson Hawks are back


Swainson Hawks, that winter as far south as Argentina, are returning to Colorado to breed. Today I saw 5 Swainson's Hawks, mostly in Bent County, including two perched in one tree. One of those in that tree was a Rufous morph, while the other and the remainder of the birds were typical Swainson's with dark bib and whitish bellies.

The bird in the top photo is, of course, a typical Swainson. The bird in the botton pic is the Rufous-morph that I saw today. As can be seen, these have dark brown (as with this bird) or rufous breast with a lighter rufous belly. As can be seen, the undertail feathers are grayish with many darker bands with a broader sub-terminal band.
SeEtta

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