# Broad-winged Hawk (*Buteo platypterus*) The Broad-winged Hawk is a medium-sized bird of prey with broad wings and a short tail. They are known for their beautiful soaring flight and can often be seen in the sky during migration. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 25 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Broad-winged Hawk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Julie_Waters_broad_winged_hawk.JPG&width=800) Photo: Original uploader was JulieFromVT (Julie Waters) at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Julie_Waters_broad_winged_hawk.JPG) ## Appearance The Broad-winged Hawk is a small, stocky raptor with broad, pointed wings and a short tail. It has a brown back and a white underside with rusty-red barring. Its tail shows distinctive broad dark and white bands. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Buteo ## Interesting facts - Broad-winged Hawks build cozy stick nests high up in forest trees. - Their migration groups, called kettles, can contain tens of thousands of birds! - They often hunt from a hidden perch, swooping down with amazing surprise! - This hawk has a unique, high-pitched whistle call, not a typical screech. ## Special abilities - **Thermal Rider:** Broad-winged Hawks can soar effortlessly on rising air currents because this ability helps them conserve energy during long migrations. - **Keen Vision:** Broad-winged Hawks have super sharp eyesight that helps them spot tiny prey, like mice, from high in the trees. - **Powerful Talons:** Broad-winged Hawks have strong, sharp talons that help them grasp and hold onto slippery prey like snakes and frogs. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 34-44 cm - **Wingspan:** 81-100 cm - **Weight:** 0.265-0.56 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-16 years - **Speed:** 64 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-5 - **Incubation:** 28-31 days - **Migration Distance:** 7000 km ## Diet & Feeding These agile hunters primarily eat small mammals, amphibians, and large insects from forest habitats. - **Primary Foods:** Voles, Mice, Frogs, Toads, Snakes, Large insects - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Meadow Vole (*Microtus pennsylvanicus*) — A primary food source. - **Hunts:** [Wood Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wood-frog) (*Lithobates sylvaticus*) — Often catches these amphibians. - **Hunts:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — Preys on these small reptiles. - **Shelter:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Nests in tall deciduous trees. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Owl sometimes preys on nestlings. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Broad-winged Hawk? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Broad-winged Hawk? 34-44 cm ### What is Broad-winged Hawk's wingspan? 81-100 cm ### How much does Broad-winged Hawk weigh? 0.265-0.56 kg ### How long does Broad-winged Hawk live? 10-16 years ### How fast can Broad-winged Hawk move? 64 km/h ### What does Broad-winged Hawk eat? These agile hunters primarily eat small mammals, amphibians, and large insects from forest habitats. ### Where is Broad-winged Hawk usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Charlestown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charlestown-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District - [Currier Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/currier-park-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Elk Neck State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/elk-neck-state-forest) — Maryland, US · Forest - [Fox Chase Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fox-chase-farm) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic Site - [Locust Grove State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/locust-grove-state-historic-site) — Louisiana, US · Nature Reserve - [Pennellville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pennellville-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District [View all places to see Broad-winged Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/broad-winged-hawk) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Broad-winged Hawk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/broad-winged-hawk)