Red-shouldered Hawk

Identification: A buteo, the adults are orange underneath with white barring, the tail has several broad black bands
separated by narrower white bands. In flight, from above the red-shoulders can be observed.

Immatures are evenly brown streaked across the chest to the upper belly, the tail is banded and the mantle
is brown, with dependent upon development, some rufous coming in at the shoulder.

Both the adult and immature show windows or crescents at the wingtips.

Breeding birds

The following series of shots are of a pair of breeding birds photographed on February 17, 2007 in Northumberland County, Virginia. I had observed the female initially with no companion, who then flew in, quickly approached the female, mated and then perched adjacent to her.