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From: J.M.Spencer@newcastle.ac.uk (J.M. Spencer)
Newsgroups: rec.birds,sci.bio
Subject: red tailed hawk - subspecies thereof
Summary: how many are recognised today?
Keywords: buzzards, hawks, birds of prey, genetics, species
Message-ID: <1990Aug14.130118.20027@newcastle.ac.uk>
Date: 14 Aug 90 13:01:18 GMT
Sender: news@newcastle.ac.uk
Followup-To: rec.birds
Organization: Computing Laboratory, U of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE17RU
Lines: 32

I am researching the redtailed hawk _Buteo jamaicensis_.  A number of works
from early this century have defined various subspecies of the redtail.
For example, in "A Study of _Buteo borealis_, the redtailed hawk, and its
varieties in Canada" (Museum Bulletin no. 48, Nov 1927, Canada Dept of 
Mines) the following are identified:-

_Buteo borealis borealis_   (Gmelin), Eastern Redtailed hawk
_Buteo borealis calurus_    (Cassin), Western redtailed hawk
_Buteo borealis krideri_    Hoopes, Krider's hawk
_Buteo borealis harlani_    (Audubon), Harlan's hawk
_Butoe borealis alascensis_ Grinell, Alaska redtailed hawk

Arthur Bent ("Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey") also
identifies a similar number of subspecies.  I have also seen people
refer to Harlan's hawks in rec.birds.

My question is this, how many species of redtail are currently
recognised, and what are they called?  My interest is that I am
a falconer flying a redtail whose parents were imported from
Canada and looks like one of Bent's Eastern redtails.  Most other
redtails in the UK are larger, much darker (sooty), and have *much*
bigger feet.  I believe them to be Western redtails.

Any comments welcome.

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Sender : Jonathan M Spencer
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