Someone asked me the other day if Ferruginous Hawks can show dark patagials similar to those of Red-tailed Hawks. And, my answer was "yes." Check out the 2 birds below (adult on top, juvenile on bottom), they both have dark patagials but the dark feathers extend onto the underwing coverts as well. However, in flight, this may appear similar to the dark patagials of Red-tailed Hawks. Of course, there are other reason why these birds are not Red-tailed Hawks, but it can be tricky or confusing if one focuses on the patagials first.

 Photo by - Jerry Liguori

Photo by - Steven Bauer