IBRC #73-B-11

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Broad-winged Hawk
HOW MANY: 1

REPORTER: Darren Clark
REPORTER EMAIL: clarkd@byui.edu
OTHER OBSERVERS: Jonathan Long

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 12/31/2011
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: June 6, 2005

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Along South Fork of Snake River, near Heise Hot Springs (kellys island campground), I believe this is in Bonneville County
HABITAT: Riparian (large cottonwoods and willows)
CONDITIONS: If I remember I only saw the bird for a few moments. I grabbed the camera, took a photograph, checked the back of the camera, and the bird was gone. I didn't use binoculars.
DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: No, not at all
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: Sibley, National Geographic 3rd edition.

DESCRIPTION: Smallish Hawk,streaked/barred underneath, orange eye, yellow cere and yellow feet. I didn't see the bird in flight. One darkish tail band, with white above and beneath the tail band was visible. Many of these details weren't noted in person, but later from the photograph.
BEHAVIOR: The bird was perched.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? I suspected this is what the bird was, but not until I later checked the photograph and noted the orange eye, breast markings, and tail band did I know for sure.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? It was an adult bird based on the extensive amount of markings underneath. The only other expected smallish hawks are accipiters - the coloring and markings and short tail are wrong for all accipiters. Red-shouldered Hawk is a possibility, but the markings are not right for an adult or juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk. The photograph sort of speaks for itself.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): I've seen a few dozen Broad-winged Hawks on the gulf coast and maybe 4-5 others in Idaho.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: I've been birding for around 20 years. I'm a good birder.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo