Awful raggedy Zone-tailed Hawk

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While I was birding on Blue Heaven Road just a few hundred yards south of the Paton's yard I spotted this raptor that looked like a possible Zone-tailed Hawk. It was an adult Zone-tail--showing it's barred remiges, bright yellow cere and white tail bands in this photo- but it's feathers were in pretty condition. I looked up info on their molt cycle on Birds of North America online which noted that this was not well understood for this species but, "In Arizona, primaries and tail are renewed in Aug." That certainly fits for this bird.  Features can be seen better by clicking on photo to enlarge it.  SeEtta

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