Was this an Osprey?

[Jones0911]

yesterday this bird was eating something so I kept my distance for the picture but I also noticed or thought it's wing was injured but I ended up keeping it moving.

today I seen it and realized it had succumbed to its injuries sucks:

 

[Twentytwenty]

Where was it eating and what?
It may be I'm not positive.

 

[LythSalicaria]

Where was it eating and what?
It may be I'm not positive.

It's hard to tell from the photographs, but based on what I can see of the tail feathers I think it might be a red-tailed hawk. It's a little dark, but so far as I know the brightly coloured tail is unique to that species.

Based on what you saw up close and personal, did it look much like this?

 

[HungryGhost]

100% red-tailed hawk. Sorry it didn't survive.

 

[Smokehound714]

Buteo jamaicensis.. sad to see that one go, these are spectacular birds!

 

[LythSalicaria]

Sometimes nature sucks. Distracted motorists suck worse.

I was really, really hoping I was wrong. I grew up reading the Animorphs series and first learned of these amazing birds through those novels. Birds of Prey in general have always been a fascination of mine...they're like totems to me. It's a crying shame this happened; had Animal Control been notified while it was still alive, they might have been able to take it to a Wildlife centre for treatment. This stuff happens though, sometimes it just can't be avoided. Rest in peace.