----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Cassino" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> A red tail would not have the bands inside the tail feathers. The length > of the tail in proportion to the body, and the length of the outmost dark > band at the end of the tail in proportion to the tail length really suggest > a Sharp Shinned Hawk. Except that Tom said it was larger than a crow and sharp-shinns are pretty small. Check your field guide again. Red Tails have horizontal bands on the underside of their tails (the red is on top) and a rounded tail. Sharp-shinned have a very squared off tail. (Peterson's Field Guide to Eastern Birds) Cooper's are pretty rare especially around here. It's a wet cold Red tailed. They are ubiquitous in the DC area. Christian
