Birds of Prey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
A colorful forest hawk of wet woodlands and swamps. Its loud, repeated "kee-ah" call is so distinctive that Blue Jays often imitate it.
How to identify it
- Reddish-orange barred breast
- Black-and-white checkered wings
- Black tail with narrow white bands
- Pale crescent "windows" near the wingtips in flight
- Loud, repeated "kee-ah, kee-ah"
SizeAbout the size of an American Crow
American Robin10 in
American Crow19 in
Red-shouldered Hawk21 in
Canada Goose37 in
6 inAverage length, bill to tail
Details
- Size
- 17–24 in long; wingspan 37–43 in
- Weight
- 17–27 oz
- Habitat
- Swamps, river forests, wooded neighborhoods
- When to see it
- Year-round across the East and in California
- Diet
- Small mammals, frogs, snakes, lizards
Range in the United States
Life history
Food
Hunts from perches in wet woods for small mammals, frogs, toads, snakes and crayfish.
Nesting
A stick nest in the crotch of a large tree, often near water, reused for years.
- Clutch
- 2–5 eggs
- Incubation
- 28–33 days
- Young
- Fledge at about 6 weeks
- Broods
- 1 per year
Behavior
Loud and vocal in spring. Sometimes shares nesting territories with Barred Owls.
Conservation
Declined with the loss of swamp forests, but common in many areas today.
Cool facts
- Blue Jays imitate its call so well they fool birders.
- The pale wing "windows" are a quick way to identify it in flight.
- Florida birds are much paler than northern ones.
Songs & calls
▶Bird sounds video coming soon
Watch the Red-shouldered Hawk
▶Video coming soon
