Hawks are some of the most awe-inspiring birds of prey, known for their keen eyesight, powerful talons, and impressive hunting skills. Found across North and South America, these raptors come in various sizes, colors, and hunting strategies, each uniquely adapted to their environment. These are twelve magnificent types of hawks, and where to find them.
1. Red-tailed Hawk
The Red-tailed hawk is one of the most common hawks and can be found across North America, from Alaska to Mexico. It is large, with a wingspan reaching up to 4.8 feet. It is easily identified by its brick-red tail, which is visible from below when it soars. Red-tailed Hawks are adaptable predators, feeding on rodents, rabbits, and snakes.
2. Cooper’s Hawk
Cooper’s Hawks are forest-dwelling birds that have adapted well to urban and suburban environments. They can be found throughout North America. These medium-sized birds of prey have slate-gray backs, rusty barred chests, and long, rounded tails with dark bands. They’re skilled hunters, primarily targeting medium-sized birds.
3. Sharp-shinned Hawk
The Sharp-shinned Hawk is the smallest hawk in North America, with females typically larger than males. They have short, rounded wings and long, square-tipped tails, perfect for maneuvering through dense forests. These hawks breed in coniferous forests across the continent. They typically hunt small birds, often ambushing their prey at bird feeders.
4. Northern Goshawk
The Northern Goshawk is the largest accipiter in North America. They have a distinctive appearance with dark gray upperparts, light gray barred underparts, and a prominent white eyebrow stripe. Goshawks inhabit large, mature forests across North America and are powerful hunters, capable of feeding on prey as large as hares and grouse.
5. Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawks are medium-sized hawks known for their distinctive “kee-aah” call. Found in eastern North America and parts of California, Red-shouldered Hawks prefer mature, mixed deciduous-coniferous forests near water where they hunt for small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.
6. Broad-winged Hawk
Broad-winged Hawks are compact hawks with distinctive black and white banded tails. They breed in eastern North American forests and migrate in large flocks to Central and South America. Broad-winged Hawks primarily feed on small mammals, amphibians, and insects.
7. Swainson’s Hawk
Swainson’s Hawks have distinctive dark flight feathers contrasting with lighter wing linings, creating a two-toned appearance in flight. They breed in western North America’s grasslands and prairies and are known for their long-distance migrations, traveling up to 14,000 miles each year. Swainson’s Hawks are unique among buteos for their habit of feeding heavily on insects, especially grasshoppers.
8. Ferruginous Hawk
Ferruginous Hawks are the largest buteos in North America. They come in two color morphs: a light morph with a rusty back and shoulders and a dark morph that’s chocolate brown. Ferruginous Hawks are found from southwestern Canada, through the western United States, and into northern Mexico. They often nest on isolated trees, cliffs, or even on the ground in treeless areas.
9. Rough-legged Hawk
Rough-legged Hawks are Arctic breeders that move south in winter. They’re named for their feathered legs, an adaptation to their cold breeding grounds. These hawks come in light and dark morphs and primarily feed on small mammals, especially lemmings on their breeding grounds.
10. Northern Harrier
The Northern Harrier is unique among North American hawks for its owl-like facial disk, which helps it locate prey by sound as well as sight. They can be found across North America, with some populations migrating south for winter. These hawks have a distinctive low, gliding flight pattern as they hunt over open ground.
11. Harris’s Hawk
Harris’s Hawks are known for their unusual social behavior, often hunting in cooperative groups. They have a distinctive appearance with dark brown plumage, chestnut shoulders, and white-tipped tails. These hawks are found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and parts of South America. Their cooperative hunting behavior allows them to take down larger prey than they could individually.
12. Zone-tailed Hawk
The Zone-tailed Hawk is a master of deception, closely resembling a Turkey Vulture in flight. This mimicry allows them to approach prey more closely, as many animals don’t perceive vultures as a threat. These hawks are mostly black with distinctive white bands on their long tails. They are found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America. They have a diverse diet, hunting everything from small mammals and birds to lizards and large insects.
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