Red-shouldered Hawk

Buteo lineatus

The Red-shouldered Hawk is a beautiful bird with bright red shoulders and a loud call. It loves to soar high in the sky and can often be seen perched on trees, watching for its next meal.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Red-shouldered Hawk has a rich reddish-brown barred underside, with broad black and white bands on its tail. Its upperparts are mottled brown, and it sports distinctive rufous-red patches on its shoulders, giving it its name.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderAccipitriformesFamilyAccipitridaeGenusButeo

Red-shouldered Hawk

Interesting facts

A young hawk can fly within six weeks of hatching, learning to hunt quickly!

Red-shouldered Hawks often 'still hunt', waiting patiently on a perch for prey.

Their nests are often reused for many years, sometimes just needing a quick renovation!

They love to eat snakes and frogs, making them helpful pest controllers in wetlands.

Special abilities

Red-shouldered Hawks can spot tiny prey from high in the trees because of their incredibly sharp eyesight.

Red-shouldered Hawks have specialized feathers that allow nearly silent flight, helping them ambush unsuspecting prey.

Red-shouldered Hawks possess strong, sharp talons that help them firmly grip and carry their captured prey.

Red-shouldered Hawks use a loud, distinctive 'kee-aah' call that helps them declare territory and communicate.

Measurements & details

Length: 38-58 cm
Wingspan: 90-127 cm
Weight: 0.5-0.7 kg
Lifespan: 10-20 years
Top Speed: 65 km/h
Clutch Size: 2-5
Incubation: 28-33 days
Migration Distance: 1500 km

Diet & Feeding

These hawks are carnivores that hunt and eat small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and sometimes other birds.

Primary Foods

Voles
Mice
Frogs
Snakes
Crayfish
Lizards

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

hunts

Meadow Vole

Microtus pennsylvanicus

A primary small mammal prey item for the hawk.

hunts

American Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

Common amphibian prey, especially near water.

hunts

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Frequently preys on various non-venomous snakes.

eaten by

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Larger owls sometimes prey on hawk eggs, young, or adults.

shelters

White Oak

Quercus alba

Often builds nests in large, mature trees like oaks.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Aerial

Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Ambush Predator

An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.