Red-shouldered Hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo lineatus
Category: bird
Brief Description
A medium-sized hawk known for its vibrant rufous breast and beautifully barred black-and-white wings.
Characteristics
Features a warm, reddish-orange barred chest, a long tail with narrow white bands, and distinct black-and-white checkered patterns on the wings. The 'shoulder' (lesser coverts) typically shows a reddish patch.
Habitat
Deciduous or mixed woodlands, often near water sources like rivers, swamps, or marshes. Increasingly found in wooded suburban areas.
When to Find It
Year-round resident in much of its range; Northern populations may migrate south during winter. Most active during the day.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN)
Ecological Role
An apex predator that controls populations of small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. They are indicators of healthy wetland and forest ecosystems.
Easily Confused With
Cooper's Hawk: has a more rounded tail and different wing shape. Red-tailed Hawk: much larger with a brown back and the namesake red tail. Broad-winged Hawk: has broader white bands on the tail.
Observation Tips
Listen for their loud, screaming 'kee-yer' call, which is often mimicked by Blue Jays. Look for them perched on branches below the forest canopy or on utility wires near wooded edges.
Interesting Facts
Red-shouldered Hawks are very territorial and will often return to the same nesting territory year after year. They are one of the most vocal raptors in North America.