Common Raptor IDing

Many people would like to think that the birds they see soaring above them are Bald Eagles, though Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures, and Red-tailed Hawks are much more common. And since the birds are frequently pretty high up in the sky, you aren't necessarily going to get a really good look at them.

Here's sort of a beginner's guide to IDing these birds, where I'll stay away from the subtle points.

First up is a Turkey Vulture. Sometimes like in this picture you'll see a flash of their red heads, but even from much further away you can usually see pale feathers starting from the ends of the wings, going along the backs of the wings, finally ending at the body itself. In this picture the pale feathers contrast quite a bit from the dark feathers to look white; most of the time the difference in feathers is more subtle than this, though the outline is always there, and this unusual amount of contrast demonstrates it well.

February 1, 2022 at Duke Farms
Photo 184269057, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


Compare this to their Black Vulture cousins. You'll never see the red head if it's a Black Vulture. And while they also display pale feathers on their wings, the pale feathers are all at the very ends of the wings.
December 22, 2021 at Duke Farms
Photo 174171905, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


Next is an adult Bald Eagle. Compared to the vultures, the eagle has a white head/neck and tail. I guess there is a little paleness on the wings, but it's not at the ends of the wings (compared to the Black Vulture) let alone the ends of the wings going on to the body (compared to the Turkey Vulture). The Bald Eagle should also show a white tail (compared to the Black Vulture).
January 14, 2022 at Duke Farms
Photo 176184250, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

Though we have quite a few hawks/falcons plus Ospreys, the Red-tailed Hawk is common enough that having some sense of what to look for is helpful. Mostly I'd look for a light colored raptor with a speckled belly band and a burnt orange tail. In this photo the tail doesn't really show the orange much but you should be able to spot the belly band. If you detect both of those, you've almost certainly got a Red-tailed Hawk.

March 5, 2022 at Duke Farms
Photo 186580965, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)



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