[birdky] Answer to October Photo Quiz

The correct answer to the October  KOS Photo Quiz
"What is it?" is juvenile MISSISSIPPI KITE.  The link
below will access the quiz page.

http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos/whatisit.html

Juvenile Mississippi Kites appear very different than
adults and may easily cause confusion with other
species.  The white spotted scapulars and coverts is a
feature shared with immature accipiters.  A pale
grayish head can be shared with both Rough-legged Hawk
and Merlin.  The brownish streaked underparts may be
shared with Merlin and juvenile accipiters. 

Structure is an important clue here with the wingtips
clearly extending beyond the tail tip.  Rough-legged
Hawk is also long-winged, but we can see that the
tarsus of the quiz bird is unfeathered.  The
combination of these features eliminate all similar
species.

This juvenile Mississippi Kite was photographed 24
August 2005 below Kentucky Dam.

David L. Roemer
Bowling Green, Ky.


                
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