I’m still recovering from several days of blisteringly good birding in Panama, including a jaunt down Old Gamboa Road. This legendary trail connected to Summit Ponds hosts all manner of Canal Zone specialties, including an abundance of hawks, kites, falcons, and owls. So I wasn’t entirely surprised to spot something raptorish but unfamiliar perched high above the trail. What was unexpected was how cute it was…
Isn’t that adorable?
Your task, if you choose to accept it, is to identify this cuddly little carnivore. Is it a hawk, an owl, or some sort of Pokemon?
Just be advised that, in a departure from many of our other diabolical bird quizzes, I don’t actually know the answer to this one. I just really want to know what this is. Many birds go unidentified on the trail… let’s bring this one home!
No idea, but it would be a major shock for me if it turned out to be an owl. This looks like some Buteoish creature, possibly a juvenile. I also don’t think it is a falcon, even not a juvenile one, with such a short tail.
I vote Pokemon, a big-headed, potooish Gray-lined one.
You may be on to something, Pat. I saw a Gray-lined adult not far from this little critter.
It looks like an adult Gray-lined to me, I suspect that it also looks Pokemonish and cute because of the angle at which we are seeing the bird.
I agree with Pat, seems a straightforward Gray-lined Hawk at an odd perspective 🙂
Crazy. I though for sure this was a juvie.