Two different morphs of red-tailed hawks.

Krider's red-tailed hawk (left) and "typical" form (right).

Yesterday I was out at Johnson's Park in Kelowna and saw a large white-chested raptor; "Something new," I thought to myself.  I was half right.  It turns out it was a red-tailed hawk, which I have seen hundreds (if not thousands) of, but it was an unfamiliar morph.  It was a white form of that bird, called Krider's red-tailed hawk, and I was somewhat taken aback.

According to a number of sites on the internet, Krider's version is actually the more plentiful variety.  They are quite common throughout most of North America.  I am familiar with the darker form, shown on the right in the above photo.  I photographed that in Maple Ridge (Lower Mainland, BC) some years ago.  This revelation has shattered my idea of what a red-tailed hawk is and I find myself having to reformulate what one is.

It turns out there is a striking variety of red-tailed hawks.  It is worth your time to look at this website (https://redtailedhawkproject.org/blog-2/) as it demonstrates the wide range of plumages found in the species.  The most trustworthy characteristics of the species seem to be size, red upper tail feathers, and a dark belly band.  I will have to keep a lookout for these features the next time I spot one to verify my thinking.

Other than the outward appearance, both forms behave the same.  They both favour open hunting areas, eat the same prey, hunt in the same manner, and so on. They are somewhat solitary in nature.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com