I've been bowhunting in town (yes it's legal). There is a huge chunk of swamp between my house and our refinery. When I walk out to where I hunt I've been checked out pretty closely by a pair of hawks. One in particular comes swooping in from across the field when it sees me and hovers low above me . I fianally got a pic of the bugger. Any Idea's as to what she is? I live in Northern WI. I don't think it's a redtail.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh77/brushbuck28/animals/hawkinwinter2.jpg

I think it is a juevenile Redtail but hard to tell from the pic.

I thought the same thing Chris...but look at the head..I may go grab my bird book to figure this out.

either roughed legged hawk (light phase) or goshawk hard to tell with photo

It's a roughed legged hawk... Tail is too short for a goshawk, and goshawks don't hover much..

One field mark to look for on the rough legs...When they hover, the undersides of the wings are light colored, except for a distictictive dark band across the "wrist" on the underside of the wing..

Its possibly a Northern Harrier - But I can see why some think its a rough legged hawk (the head looks right).

We see more & more of these in NY. Its a great bird to watch hunt for mice - they glide the fields - and will "hover" if a mouse catched their eye. I've had them follow me around brushhogging. The definitive ID marking is the White Spot on the base of the tail (topside).

There is a red phase and Grey Phase - depending on locale.







FH

Thank you guys! I have a pic(not a good one ) when she got off the tree. She has a white band at the base of her tail on the top
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh77/brushbuck28/hawkinflight.jpg

Rough leg...The black wrist/elbow marking is clearly visible on the underside of the wing...

Roughlegs nest in the arctic in summer andmigrate south to feed in the winter... Being in the northern US states is like a tropical vacation to them... Another winter visitor is the short eared owl, which glides low over fields much like the northern harrier, and can be easily mistaken for a hawk..

The broad tail certainly rules out a northern harrier...

I still say rough leg...

Its a Northern Harrier

Yours:


Stock Photo - Northern Harrier


FH