Harlan's Hawk

The Harlan's Hawk is thought to be a sub-species of the Red-tailed Hawk. This very dark form has a marbled white, brown, and gray tail instead of a red one. It is so distinctive that it was once considered a separate species, until ornithologists discovered many individuals that were intermediate between Harlan's and more typical Red-tailed Hawks. This bird (identification not certain) was photographed along the Auto Tour Route, River "S" Unit, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, in December 2005.