Thanks to Russ Reynolds for sharing these photos of a striking leucistic Red-tailed Hawk that has been hanging out in the Lima, Ohio area. This one is an exceptional example of an abnormally pigmented red-tail; it is almost entirely white.
I guarantee this bird attracts its fair share of attention. Leucistic raptors, especially ones that are this conspicuous, sometimes become local celebrities. Since they can live for a long time, such birds might haunt an area for years.Thanks again to Russ for the shots! I also want to mention that Russ' photo of a Baltimore Oriole was selected for the inaugural Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp, which will debut in March. Funds from stamp sales will go to support habitat acquisition and restoration, research, rare species conservation, and more.
31 comments:
Ooh, you gotta like those aberrations!
What a beautiful creature. I would have no idea what kind of hawk it was without markings to guide me. How did you ID it? Just curious.
To day while I was driving in Jackson ohio around 3:15 i spotted a large all white bird. It was fling then landed in a tree right buy the road. I cant tell you how excited , plus mystified I was to see it and then find this page. It wasnt a osprey nor an eagle but diffently a white hawk!
I do believe I saw a Red Tail that looked just like the one that is being discussed here. Darn near drove off the road looking at it! Thing is, the one I saw was here in Western NY, Clarence to be exact. What a beautiful bird!
I have been seeing a white hawk with black tipped wings around my farm near derby, Ohio. It is smaller than a red tail. Can you tell me what it is?
Seen a white hawk, South of Oakwood, off ST Rt 66 today, 3-16-13 around 1pm
I saw a white bird in pickaway ohio while I was driving in the dark, I have no clue what the details of the nord looked like but it was huge.. the wings looked aa big as the my front HHR window..
Have seen this hawk in flight in ou backyard yesterday & today. What a beautiful bird.
LP
Chesterland (Geauga Cty), Ohio
I've seen it three times this year in Peninsula, OH near Szalay's Farms. Last time was about a month ago. First time I saw it, I wasn't sure what I was looking at - it looked like an albino hawk. Took some pictures but they're not nearly as clear as the ones posted. Now that I've started bringing the zoom lens with me, I probably won't see it again. :)
A bird of this type was seen in Springfield Township near Akron, Ohio on Killian Road. Amazing!!
Any recent sightings? Today I saw a very hearty nearly all white raptor just south of Mansfield. The bird was crossing Rt. 71 at a very low altitude, she flew nearly right in front of me and i was able to clearly see the birds dark eye. (I was trying to determine if it was albino). My next instinct was light morphed Ferruginous, but I was able to see a nearly all white top side...
Seen one inbetween Black Hand Gorge & Flint Ridge on Brownsville Rd. South East of Rt. 16 east of Newark Ohio April 17th. Like someone else said, almost drove off road watching it fly above. Wish had camera present.
Saw Her again yesterday!! Same spot almost... Mile marker 216 on Rt.71. She flew east to west and perched on some dead branches near the top of the tree line.
I love to see a hawk! I've been lucky enough to have one flying around my house for a few months now, about 10 minutes from Athens. When I looked up to the blue skies today, I saw a beautiful white hawk! It was flying with the other and I hope it's here to stay!
I saw this white hawk on a telephone pole today on Killian Rd, Springfield Twp, Oh. Might be the same one spotted a few years earlier, probably in his winter plumage.
Pure white hawk, i saw it today in Barberton Ohio near Columbia Lake
My girl & I seen 2 this afternoon flying above some woodland in Wadsworth. Wasn't sure what exactly we were seeing as they circled & called but seems this may be it. Thanx to all for sharing the flight of this beautiful bird.
while I was working in my backyard yesterday, I saw a pair (white falcon?) mating three times, on tree and grape arbor. finally I found that they are nesting on a big oak tree across street. Beautiful birds. Cincinnati, OH. 4/4/2016
Just saw this white beauty on my roof, may 22, 2016 Sunday about 6 pm in Hambden , Ohio off bates creek drive. Sat there for a few minutes. It's unreal! Ran to get my phone to take pic and was gone. This hawk big! I wasn't sure either what I was looking at, Watch your little pets. Thanks for your site, I would of never known.
This all white hawk was sitting in our Pin Oak last night as we pulled into the driveway between 18:00 and 19:00 hours. As I turned into the garage we saw him or her fly into one of our two white pines which shelter multiple bird feeders and make the birds(at the feeders) sitting ducks for our resident red tailed hawk and occasional Peregrine Falcon. I ran into the house with my camera and binoculars to look out of our screened-in porch next to the pines, but could not see it. Hope it appears again so I may have a better look and possibly photograph it. We live in Sylvania Township, a suburb of Toledo in northwest Ohio. Our home sits on and in the side of a hill and is located between two woods. This event happened October 3, 2016.
02/24/2017 - Grove City Ohio. I saw a solid white hawk while leaving work at the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio last night at 5:15 PM. After seeing this post, I would say it was a Red Tail like shown above however, I would not have guessed that the hawk I saw would have been a Red Tail. Solid white body with a little color in the tail displayed more as a flake than the solid red/brown band normally in a Red Tail.
2nd sighting across our field in Conneaut (Ashtabula Co). The first time it was banking just above the ground. Today it was being chased out by crows. Large birds are always impressive-we have lots of bald eagles now (Lake Erie)-but this bird is massive. I'm excited because it looks like its taken up residence here.
I live in (South) Bronx, New York and theres a building across from me that I swear has this, it slowly flew around the building then behind a another one. So it looked cool as fuck, I had to try and google it. I really, didn't I'd find anything, but there were two photos leading here in images. Theres usually a different one that hangs out on top with color. This is the first time I've seen the white one, so yeah. Crazy stuff that nature.
Just saw one yesterday (3/15/21) along I70 around the 14 mile marker.
Seen a white Hawk off of I-70 right after the 202 exit in Huber heights, Ohio headed east on the right side of the highway siting in a tree.
Hello. I saw a hawk like this today on my property about 2 miles N of Granville. It's huge and white. I was able to walk under it and get some pics. I will email them to the author of this blog which really helped me to identify the falcon. At first, I thought it might be an eagle. Absolutely gorgeous bird!
Hubby saw the one on
I70 near Huber Heights today 2/18/21
Just saw the one on I-70 around 202 in Huber Heights. 2-23-22
Good Afternoon, I love in Huber Heights, on my way home from the base. I spotted the white hawk hanging out on the south side of I-70. What a beautiful sight. 7 March 2022, 3:15p.
I think I saw one outside of New Lexington, in Perry County, today.
There are approximately 5-6 that have been flying right next to Ohio River in Proctorville, OH. Today was first day I saw one all by itself. These birds are beautiful to watch glide through the air with very little effort!
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