It’s not often that you see two different species of hawks in such close proximity to one another, calmly waiting on the edge of a water trough. But this morning while feeding the horses, they let me get close enough to use my ‘point and shoot’. I defer to the birders, but it looks to me like a Red Tail on the left and a Harrier Hawk on the right.
drycrikjournal 
Not sure of the species but I love them both. 🙂
janet
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Well, if I was guessing I would say it is a Red Tail on the right and a Northern Harrier on the left. But I am not an expert. Waiting for my new Keith Hansen book to arrive in the mail from Heyday – Hansen’s Field Guide to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada…….
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I would not be surprised that they might well both be red tails. Considering the angles of the different birds front v rear quartering, golden morning sun, shaded sides, perhaps male v female, young v adult etc. Important thing is they know who provides for the many.
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Clicked/blown-up the differences in legs and feet are more obvious as well as tail length and color. The Harrier, one of three around the house, left early in typical low-to-the-ground flight. But I’m no expert. Lots of busy hawks that along with the coyotes and bobcats are thankfully reducing the ground squirrel population. They can have all the water they want.
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I think both are immature red-tailed hawks. The bird on the right has a barred tail like an immature red-tail. A harrier would have an owl-shaped face and a longer tail…also the breast would be uniformly streaked. Nevertheless, a great capture!
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Thanks, you’re one of the birders I was looking for.
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