[EBB Sightings] Black Buteo at Lagoon Valley, Vacaville

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Saw this bird a week ago while doing a raptor census at Lagoon Valley near
Vacaville. It passed through the valley before heading south. Have seen many
dark morph red tails, but never a black one. 

 

This one passed me slightly at about eye level approx 50 feet away in a slow
glide, before descending into the valley. It had the size and shape of a red
tail. The head and breast were completely black. The bill was uniformly
yellow. There was a small white patch at the base of the throat. I did not
get a good look at the underwings. The underside tail was grayish white with
narrow, faint banding. The back was dark brown (much darker than a normal
RT) with no mottling. On the dorsal wing, the emarg primaries where black
and contrasted with the brown secondaries and back. The dorsal tail was
grayish white, with a small (about 50 cent-piece size) white patch at the
base of the tail. 

 

I'm guessing Harlans RT but have never seen one before. Have seen
black-hawks in Mexico. This one did not have the broad tail banding. 

 

If you have any experience with black buteos, or have heard of similar
sightings, please let me know. 

 

This is definitely the weirdest raptor I have ever seen. 

 

Harv Wilson

Alameda


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style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Saw this bird a week ago while doing a raptor census =
at Lagoon Valley
near Vacaville.
It passed through the valley before heading south. Have seen many dark =
morph
red tails, but never a black one. 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>This one passed me slightly at about eye level approx =
50
feet away in a slow glide, before descending into the valley. It had the =
size
and shape of a red tail. The head and breast were completely black. The =
bill
was uniformly yellow. There was a small white patch at the base of the =
throat. I
did not get a good look at the underwings. The underside tail was =
grayish white
with narrow, faint banding. The back was dark brown (much darker than a =
normal
RT) with no mottling. On the dorsal wing, the emarg primaries where =
black and
contrasted with the brown secondaries and back. The dorsal tail was =
grayish
white, with a small (about 50 cent-piece size) white patch at the base =
of the
tail. 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I’m guessing Harlans RT but have never seen one
before. Have seen black-hawks in Mexico. This one did not =
have the broad
tail banding. 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>If you have any experience with black buteos, or have =
heard
of similar sightings, please let me know. 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>This is definitely the weirdest raptor I have ever =
seen. 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> 


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Harv Wilson


style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Alameda





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