I don’t believe I’ve ever photographed an Eastern Red-tailed Hawk before so this bird caught my attention.

1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

I photographed it two days ago at Farmington Bay WMA. While I was looking at it through my lens I was struck by its overall light color and especially the whites on the head and back. For an instant the white forehead and throat reminded me of many Swainson’s Hawks.

A little research the next day made me think it’s an Eastern light morph Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis borealis) but the Red-tailed Hawk is the most variably plumaged raptor species in North America and eastern birds are uncommon west of the Rockies (where I am here in Salt Lake City). Throw in the fact that I’m far from a raptor ID expert and I certainly can’t make the claim that it’s an eastern red-tail absolutely. But as of now I’m thinking that it’s likely.

1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in

While perched the hawk never did turn and face me and when it took off it did so mostly away from me so this is the best look I got at the front of the bird. If anyone out there has an opinion on the subspecies of this hawk I’d love to hear it, though I realize that knowing with absolute certainty may be impossible due to overlap in range and plumage.

Either way I thought it was a beautiful and striking juvenile red-tail.

Ron