You would think it would be easy to find the types of Hawks in the United States. But it is not as simple as looking at all the birds with Hawk in the name and some birds named Hawk are not actually really hawks. Confused? Read on to learn all about hawks.
True Hawks
There are only 3 members of the Accipiter family, which is the hawk family. Let’s look at those first.
Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Range
Call
Size
Male
Length: 14.6-15.3 in (37-39 cm)
Weight: 7.8-14.5 oz (220-410 g)
Wingspan: 24.4-35.4 in (62-90 cm)
Female
Length: 16.5-17.7 in (42-45 cm)
Weight: 11.6-24.0 oz (330-680 g)
Wingspan: 29.5-35.4 in (75-90 cm)
Interesting Fact
Cooper’s Hawks are moving into suburbia. Look out for them stalking their bird prey at backyard feeders!
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 9.4-13.4 in (24-34 cm)
Weight: 3.1-7.7 oz (87-218 g)
Wingspan: 16.9-22.1 in (43-56 cm)
Interesting Fact
Sharp-shinned Hawks, like others, crush their prey with their talons before sitting somewhere to pluck and eat it.
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 20.9-25.2 in (53-64 cm)
Weight: 22.3-48.1 oz (631-1364 g)
Wingspan: 40.5-46.1 in (103-117 cm)
Interesting Fact
The Northern Goshawk is the fiercest of the true hawks. It will aggressively hunt for food and defend its nest, attacking even humans if they get too close.
Harrier Hawks
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 18.1-19.7 in (46-50 cm)
Weight: 10.6-26.5 oz (300-750 g)
Wingspan: 40.2-46.5 in (102-118 cm)
Interesting Fact
The owl-like face of the Northern Harrier is not all that this hawk has in common with our nocturnal friends. They also have exceptional hearing which they use to help them hunt.
Buteo Hawks
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Range
Call
Size
Male
Length: 17.7-22.1 in (45-56 cm)
Weight: 24.3-45.9 oz (690-1300 g)
Wingspan: 44.9-52.4 in (114-133 cm)
Female
Length: 19.7-25.6 in (50-65 cm)
Weight: 31.8-51.5 oz (900-1460 g)
Wingspan: 44.9-52.4 in (114-133 cm)
Interesting Fact
The Red-tailed Hawk is one of the most common raptors across the United States and also amongst the largest.
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 22.1-27.2 in (56-69 cm)
Weight: 34.5-73.2 oz (977-2074 g)
Wingspan: 52.4-55.9 in (133-142 cm)
Interesting Fact
This stunning hawk has certainly earned its name. Ferruginous means rusty red and this bird has that on its shoulders in particular.
Harris’s Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 18.1-23.2 in (46-59 cm)
Weight: 18.2-31.0 oz (515-880 g)
Wingspan: 40.5-46.9 in (103-119 cm)
Interesting Fact
The Harris Hawk is one of the few raptor species that hunts in groups. Two or several birds will work together to distract, hunt and trap their prey.
Hawaiian Hawk (Buteo solitarius)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 16-18 in (40-46 cm)
Weight: 15.6-21.3 oz (441-605 g)
Interesting Fact
This hawk is restricted to the Big Island, as native animals have disappeared, it has adapted to eating introduced species like rats, lizards and non-native birds.
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 16.9-24.0 in (43-61 cm)
Weight: 17.1-27.3 oz (486-774 g)
Wingspan: 37.0-43.7 in (94-111 cm)
Interesting Fact
The Red-shouldered Hawk is a co-operative raptor. It will work with other bird species to achieve a goal of removing a larger predator from the area or distracting prey.
Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 15.3-17.3 in (39-44 cm)
Weight: 13.6-16.9 oz (385-480 g)
Wingspan: 32.7-40.5 in (83-103 cm)
Interesting Fact
The Short-tailed Hawk is actually a Central and South American bird. There is an isolated population in Florida. When they migrate, they all south to the Florida Keys and this is a fantastic place to see them.
Grey Hawk (Buteo plagiatus)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 18-24 in (46-61 cm)
Weight: 16.8 oz (475 g)
Interesting Fact
The Gray or Grey Hawk is a lizard expert and will eat a range of them. This is reflected in where it is found – drier areas of southwestern U.S. and Central America.
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 13.4-17.3 in (34-44 cm)
Weight: 9.3-19.8 oz (265-560 g)
Wingspan: 31.9-39.4 in (81-100 cm)
Interesting Fact
When it migrates to South America, the Broad-winged Hawk gathers in huge numbers. These flocks are called kettles and can be an amazing site as they swirl around in the sky.
Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 17-22in (43-56 cm)
Weight: 17.6-27.2 oz (500-1170 g)
Wingspan: 46-54in (117-137 cm)
Interesting Fact
The Swainson’s Hawk has the longest migration of all our raptors and can fly over 7,000 to their second homes in South America.
Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 16.9-22.1 in (43-56 cm)
Weight: 27.9 oz (790 g)
Wingspan: 46.1 in (117 cm)
Interesting Fact
Common Black Hawks act a bit like herons when they are hunting in shallow waters. They will use their wings to startle prey or to herd it to a better place for it to catch them.
Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus)
Range
Call
Size
Length: 17.7-22.1 in (45-56 cm)
Weight: 21.4-23.5 oz (607-667 g)
Wingspan: 46.9-55.1 in (119-140 cm)
Interesting Fact
Turkey Vultures look similar to the Zone-tailed Hawk in flight and researchers think that these crafty hawks mimic the behavior of the vulture because potential prey know that the vulture is no threat to them.
Geranoaetus Hawk
White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus)
Rang
Call
Size
Length: 18.1-20.5 in (46-52 cm
Weight: 31.0-43.6 oz (880-1235 g)
Wingspan: 50.4-51.6 in (128-131 cm)
Interesting Fact
The White-tailed Hawk has an unusual decoration for its nest. It always has a long stick stuck in it and no-one know why.
Conclusion
So, that is the hawks in the United States. We have:
3 True Hawks
1 Harrier Hawk
1 Geranoaetus Hawk
11 Buteo Hawks
These birds can be difficult to identify in the wild and in particular in the air! I try to find one feature that I can remember and go from there.
We hope you enjoyed our article about hawks in the U.S.
FAQ
The true hawks generally have longer tails and shorter, rounded wings. The name hawk came into common use for other raptor species in the genus buteo and has just stuck.
The Red-tailed Hawk is the most commonly seen and reported in a variety of different habitats.
The Ferruginous Hawk is the biggest and probably the most vicious too!
