Bird Advisor

Question 10 8 possible birds

What colour was the BACK ?

Choose the answer that comes closest to what you observed.

White, or pale (grayish-white) Yellow Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan Red, or pink Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) Olive (yellowish-green) Green Blue Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) Gray, or blue-gray Black, purple, or dark Unknown

Not completely sure? Choose Unknown when it is available—a careful “I don’t know” is more useful than a guess.

Your observation 9 answers recorded · open to review or change

1
What TYPE of bird was seen ? Hawk-like
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2
How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
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3
What colour was the BREAST ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
Change
4
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Dark and light bands across it
Change
5
WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
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6
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail)
Change
7
What colour was the BELLY ? Black, purple, or dark
Change
8
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ? Unknown
Change
9
How was the bird SEEN BEST ? While landed
Change

Leading possibilities

8 possibilities remain

1 rule inferred

1
Northern Caracara
Why this matches 7 supporting observations
- What TYPE of bird was seen ? Hawk-like
- How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
- What colour was the BREAST ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Dark and light bands across it
- WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail)
- How was the bird SEEN BEST ? While landed
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2
Red-shouldered Hawk
Why this matches 7 supporting observations
- What TYPE of bird was seen ? Hawk-like
- How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
- What colour was the BREAST ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Dark and light bands across it
- WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail)
- How was the bird SEEN BEST ? While landed
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3
Harris' Hawk
Why this matches 7 supporting observations
- What TYPE of bird was seen ? Hawk-like
- How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
- What colour was the BREAST ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Dark and light bands across it
- WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail)
- How was the bird SEEN BEST ? While landed
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4
Red-tailed Hawk
Why this matches 6 supporting observations
- What TYPE of bird was seen ? Hawk-like
- How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
- What colour was the BREAST ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Dark and light bands across it
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail)
- How was the bird SEEN BEST ? While landed
View profile
5
Rough-legged Hawk

Matching variants: Dark Phase, Rough-legged Hawk
Why this matches 6 supporting observations
- What TYPE of bird was seen ? Hawk-like
- How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
- What colour was the BREAST ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Dark and light bands across it
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail)
- How was the bird SEEN BEST ? While landed
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Showing the strongest matches so far. Keep answering—the order may change.

Describe what you saw. We’ll narrow the field together.

What colour was the BACK ?

8 possibilities remain

Northern Caracara

Red-shouldered Hawk

Harris' Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Rough-legged Hawk