tags: juvenile Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
The prior owner of these feathers, a probable juvenile Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis, met a plate-glass window at high speed and apparently was fatally injured. The feathers were what was remaining after a dog scavenged the carcass. Location is on the east side of Tuttle Creek Reservoir, Pottawatomie County Kansas (39.272N, 96.558W, altitude 1150 ft or 351 m). [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Dave Rintoul, 29 January 2009 [larger view].
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
According to this website, the feathers pictured above are nearly identical to the rectrices of a juvenile Goshawk.
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Looks like a Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis, perhaps the tail feather of a juvenile bird, but I'm only guessing.
Looks like a pretty close match to the Cooper's Hawk wing feathers in the Feather Atlas. Though I have a hard enough time distinguishing Cooper's from Sharp-shinned in real life, so I don't think I want to try to make that distinction based on a few feathers. But I guess I'd guess Cooper's.
I believe these are Cooper's Hawk tail feathers. The length of them says 'accipiter' to me, specifically Cooper's.
I agree on the accipiter. I've never had a Goshawk in hand, but those sure look a lot like the Cooper's I've held, and the length (if those are inches at the top of that ruler) would rule out Sharpie to me. So I'm going along with the Cooper's Hawk.
Northern Goshawk. Key features:
1. Dark bands have pale highlights on each side.
2. Dark bands are offset on either side of the feather shaft.
Both of these are diagnostic for Northern Goshawk. I cannot read the ruler.
And that earlier sparrow was definitely not a Brewer's Sparrow regardless of what the posted "answer" said.
Immature Goshawk. The dark bars are bordered with light-colored bands (usually not seen on Cooper's) and there is far more mottling on the outer tail feathers here than any Cooper's I've seen.