Swainson's Hawk

Identification: Immature bird (intermediate phase), note the fairly heavy brown streaked underbody, the moderately mottled
underwing coverts and the dark flight feathers (as observed from below). From above the bird appeared uniformly dark
except for the whitish uppertail coverts. Dependent upon lighting conditions the face appeared white in both the
superciliary and cheek areas.

The first set of photographs below are of an immature intermediate Swainson's Hawk from Alligator National Wildlife Refuge, Dare County, North Carolina on December 27, 2006. The bird spent considerable time on the ground apparently "chasing" insects (possibly
grasshoppers which were still out).

 

 

The photographs below were taken at considerable distance of an apparent immature/sub-adult(?) bird at Alligator NWR, N.C. on the 2008 CBC held on December 30, 2008.