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Project Noah Nature School
Buteo jamaicensis
This nearly-all-white raptor is a red-tailed hawk! He is leucistic which is different than an albino. Leucism is a condition that inhibits melanin distribution in animals, to different degrees, and is genetic.
Driving home from work the other day, I saw the white hawk in his tree again. Instead of missing this opportunity, I pulled over and snapped a few pictures. He happily sat there for me until some golfers came by and scared him away!
Spotted on Mar 13, 2012
Submitted on Mar 16, 2012
24 Comments
good captures emily!
Thank you Satyen!
Beautiful shots!
Thank you Joshua and Janelle! He is a special bird! I need to visit his hunting grounds again and get some new pictures!
Very cool and incredibly beautiful, Emily!!
Incredible.
Thank you Steve! He is an amazing bird!
Amazing!
No problem. I find birds of prey so fascinating.
Thank you for the kind words jdiionna! He is an amazing bird!
Very cool sighting!
His mate is a normal colored red-tailed hawk. My guess is that his offspring are partially leucistic!
A good friend of mine is a seasoned "birder" and has photographed him and other partially leucistic red-tails. Check out his web page for some examples: http://www.birdsofcolorado.com/Seasonal_...
Wonderful series! What a beauty! Are his offspring normal colored or leucitic?
Absolutely beautiful pictures!! He's amazing!
How wonderful that you are able to follow the life of this unique bird!
Yes, he was hit by a golf ball! How appropriate!! I think his wing was broken. He was released back on the course! He should have a family again this year...we'll have to keep checking on him!! Do you know where the nest is?
Christy, do you remember what he was admitted for? Next time you are leaving BOP, drive down to 104th and Sheridan and look for him and his mate! You've got to see him!
It was only about 3 years ago when he was at the foundation, but he was a model patient and healed quickly! If I remember correctly, he missed a summer of babies, but when he was released, his mate found him and they were seen together again a lot after that. Wish you had seen him close! ;-)
great shots Emily ! I can almost feel the wind in pic #3 !!
You caught him again!! He's as beautiful as ever!! Your shots are great Emily! I haven't seen him in the wild yet, but I hope to someday. ;-)
Yes! two red feathers and a little brown spot on the back of his head! He's a cutie! He's supposedly an older bird (13-15 years old). He was also a patient at our rehab center years ago (way before I volunteered.) So he kind of has a neat story, since he was rehabbed and returned to the wild! He spends his "retirement" in a golf course community now. Go figure!
I'm tempted to go to Colorado now to take some pictures of my own. Your so lucky.
Oh my, he's gorgeous. What a special find. Are those two red tail feathers I see? Gives a nice quirk!
I'm jealous!
This is absolutely gorgeous! What a great spot. ♥