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Ok, any Hawk/Falcon experts out there? Yesterday I walked out onto my Mom's patio in South Scottsdale around McDowell Road/Scottsdale Rd area and was looking north when I saw several small birds take flight near a Power Pole about 400' away. A big bird flew in and landed on the pole. I immediately knew from the size and shape that it had to be a hawk. I was a little surprised to see one there (the nearest open area around me is probably Papago Park), so I ran in and got the binoculars. I looked and I could swear it was a Peregrin Falcon. Not quite as big as a Redtailed Hawk, but pretty big. What's throwing me though, is the head was almost completely reddish tan. Blue/gray back/ white front. It was almost as colorful as a Kestral, but way too big for that. The head coloring is throwing me off. Any thoughts on this? Are there any Peregrin Projects in the City of Scottsdale that anyone's aware of? I know they do well in metro areas and are encouraged because of their love for Pigeons.....

It could easily have been a Peregrin, there are 2-3 that live on Central Ave and hunt around town.

Don't know if this will help: Prairie Falcon from north central Phx http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=58669

tibber wrote:Don't know if this will help: Prairie Falcon from north central Phx http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=58669

Ya, I looked up Hawks and Falcons on the online Aububon Guide. Definitely not a Praire Falcon. No ticking on legs or front, just plain white and the back was that pretty dark steel blue. The Guide stated that Juveniles have a tan head, but the pic they had of a Juvenile didn't have nearly the tan that this one had. Great Pic though, Angela!

Being in Scottsdale it could have had cosmetic enhancements.

Cooper's Hawk?

Alston Neal wrote:it could have had cosmetic enhancements

And what might those enhancements have been for? Cooper's Droop!?

Chortle.....that was baaad. Even I knew what that meant.

I saw a Cooper's Hawk in my backyard some years back, deep in suburban Mesa, so it's not unheard of. It was using my birdbath.

I'm still thinking that it was a Peregrin, and I think if I could have seen it for a couple of more seconds "in flight" and observed the wing type, I'd have known for sure whether it was a Hawk or a Falcon.

Pam, I have seen at least 5 bald eagles in different areas of the valley. One juvenile landed on my porch railing (still had brown on head/legs) and have seen a couple of Peregrines around the city too!

what i find most amusing tho.. maybe Paul Hubbard has seen this too.. is the amount of peach faced lovebirds out here in E. Mesa.
I saw one at my kids' daycare in Mesa and thought it was a fluke. then at the albertson's there were about 15 of them in a mesquite tree. went across the street to get gas and there were 25 more in a tree over there!

to think they started breeding from an escaped pet is funny.. but didnt think they would be so consistent in one area, seemingly dont migrate much - i have not witnessed them anywhere else in Phx - and i've been here 32 years.

te-wa wrote: maybe Paul Hubbard has seen this too.. is the amount of peach faced lovebirds out here in E. Mesa.

There are hundreds of them! I've been told they are actually native (sort of) having migrated up here from Mexico. This is in my backyard from last week:

these tiny parrots are from Southern Africa.. they were likely the result of escaped pets. Seems they are having a great time breeding here in the dry conditions of Phoenix, which is perfect since they are suited to the desert anyway.
Ive seen escaped cockatiels out in the wild, but never lovebirds.. and like you say, Hundreds of them. http://mirror-pole.com/collpage/pf_loveb/pfl_1.htm

Anything that eats pigeons is okay by me!

In the San Diego area, we've got flocks of Green Parrots... There's a bunch of them that frequent my neighborhood.

kingsnake wrote:Anything that eats pigeons is okay by me!

The French?....

@Alston Neal
Mais bien sûr... Les pigeons sont savoureuses!

I should not be surprised to see something like that in Scottsdale. I watched 2 Red Tailed Hawks hanging out on the ground of a front yard at 39th Ave and Acoma for quite awhile.

Peach Faced Lovebirds are doing well in AZ. They are escapees and have thrived and bred here in the Metro area. Another bird that you will see is called a Quaker Parrot. The Quakers have become so prolific that several "states" and municipalities have banned them completely. You cannot even have them as pets or transport them through a "banned" area without a permit.

Besides what I do for a living, I also volunteer for the Phoenix Herpetological Society and The Oasis Sanctuary (Exotic Birds) and get called out to areas to "rescue" or relocate reptiles and exotic birds. Lots of Love Birds, an occasional Parrot, and every great once in awhile, a Macaw! The last Macaw, I confiscated from a Drug House and it swore at me in Spanish... It now swears at a gal and her husband that work at the shelter....

Outdoor Lover wrote: The last Macaw, I confiscated from a Drug House and it swore at me in Spanish...

Talk about fowl-language...

^^^^^^^ Dear Lord please take me home.

I bet it's name was Ali Macaw.

@Alston Neal