The Red-Tailed Hawk is quite common in southeast Arizona. Easily identifiable by its dark head, light colored breast, light markings on the back as they are perched. The exception is the dark morph that is a solid dark color as you can see below. When they fly the red tail is quite obvious. Almost all Red-Tailed hawks we have seen have been on the top of poles or the cross bars unlike the Swainson's Hawk that seems to like to perch on the wire.
Red-tailed Hawk, adult Western dark intermediate morph
Another shot of the dark morph on a different pole
The same Red-Tailed Hawk dark morph in flight
This Red-Tailed Hawk is just about to land on the wire at the insulator.
Even Red-Tailed Hawks have bad hair days.
The white markings on the back of this Red-Tailed Hawk are clearly visible from a distance and one of the ways we identify the mormal morph. From our experience its quite common.
A Redtailed Hawk spotted by Jerry Smith near his home.
Another Red Tailed Hawk by Jerry near his home.
This Red Tail was shot near Kitt Peak as it flew off its perch.
This is the same bird as above taken on the road to Kitt Peak as it leaves its perch.
