Red-tailed hawks have an amazing array of plumage variations and Harlan's hawks are an excellent example of this variation. Typical light morph western Red-tails (there are also intermediate and dark morph western, light and dark morph Harlan's, eastern, southwestern, and Krider's Red-tails) are buffy underneath with brown accents, but Harlan's hawks lack the buffy tones and their browns are darker than a typical light morph Red-tail. This "black and white" plumage gives them a striking appearance as they are soaring overhead. In addition to this, they have white eye arcs, mostly white or gray tails with a smudgy dark terminal band, and generally have white throats. Harlan's only breed in central Alaska and western Canada. This hawk has heavily feathered legs and appears to have a smaller bill than the "normal" Red-tail. I am going to bet that these are adaptations to breeding so far north. Their winter range is a fairly small area in the central US. Dark morph Harlan's make up at least 85% of the Harlan's population with light morph individuals making up 10% or less of the population (intermediates make up the rest). None of the morphs are common and they are rarely found in the eastern US. Fortunately, this one decided to spend the winter in west Texas! It is very skittish, apparently this is one of the traits of a Harlan's, so views are generally quick and it took seeing it at least three times to be certain that it was a Harlan's. My friend Lena and I first noticed it in mid-November. Jim was able to get a couple of good, but quick pictures through the scope and a photographer that I met while watching the local Red-tails, Craig Curry, has taken some very nice pictures! Watching the Harlan's hawk over the winter has been quite a treat and while doing so I have met new people and made new friends. It quickly became one of my favorite hawks and we will all miss it when it heads north again.
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September 2022
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