Corralitas Drive: Skinny Baby Red Tailed Hawk

Photo: Eli Shamszadeh, June 21, 2013.  One of the recently fledged Red Tailed Hawk babies hung out in Shamszadeh's tree all afternoon.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

People often ask how to tell the difference between the youngsters (recently fledged, just learned to fly, not able to hunt on their own yet) Red Tails & the adults since their about the same size.  The photo above illustrates what I've been telling people about the youngsters' lack of muscle.  They haven't had developed any yet.  Plus their juvenile feathers are darker and they haven't developed a "red" tail yet.  Compare these photos to the adults.

Photo: Eli Shamszadeh, June 21, 2013.  It's a privilege to  witness these large birds of prey up close.  This one spent a good deal of time calling to be fed Friday afternoon.   

The 2 babies left the nest 2 weeks ago.  From time to time, we'll see one back in the nest, late in the day.  They've been hanging around the Eucalyptus Trees on the 2 Freeway side of Corralitas Drive, as well as atop telephone poles above the south end of the Red Car Property. 

If you hear hawks calling, take a look around, you might get lucky enough to see one being fed.

Special thanks to Eli Shamszadeh for sharing his awesome Red Tailed Hawk photos with us.