10/19/2023 0 Comments Red tailed hawk hospitalThese two hawks are closely related and are both in the genus accipiter. Light gray and dark gray bars across outside of tail feathers Sharp-shinned Hawk.Thin orange bars across breast and belly.Smaller and more slender than other hawks.Their repetitive “Creee…creee…creee!” call is easily recognizable, but be careful – Blue Jays frequently do near-perfect imitation calls of these hawks. They’re most often seen perched in a large tree, or flying low from one wooded spot to another. Red-shouldered Hawks love woodlands, especially in riparian areas with creeks, ponds, or rivers. Appearance of black and white spotting on back and wings.They can be found all over the state during all four seasons. This large hawk prefers open areas like grassy fields and agricultural fields. Even without red color, you know this is a Red-tailed Hawk because of its streaky belly band. See the streaky spots across the midsection? That’s the belly band. The belly band is the most important feature of this species. Juvenile hawks have just white and brown in the tail. Not all Red-tailed Hawks actually have red color in the tail feathers, only the adults do. Often found perched on telephone poles and large trees, their large size makes them conspicuous as they sit out in the open. This is the most commonly seen hawk species in Texas. The “belly band” – a line of dark spots across the midsection.Red color in tail feathers (adults only).This rule will significantly improve your accuracy. Use this to your advantage.Īlways assume the more common species. Swainson’s Hawk are only present mid-Spring through mid-Fall. Northern Harriers are only present during winter. If a hawk is outside its seasonal timing (Summer/Winter/ Spring or Fall migration), then instead look at hawks in the current season. You probably won’t see a White-tailed Hawk in Dallas, or a Zone-tailed Hawk in Houston. To check range and seasonal timings, use a field guide like The Sibley Guide to Birds ( Amazon), or a free app like Audubon Bird Guide ( Audubon).Įven if you think you know what type of hawk you saw, if it’s outside its normal range, that’s probably not it. The Easiest Way to Identify a Hawk you Saw If you saw a group of hawks on the ground in a field, they were Swainson’s Hawks. Cooper’s Hawk Small-medium Dark top of head, orange barring down breast. Red-shouldered Hawk Medium-large Reddish-brown, orange barring down breast & belly. Great Black Hawk Quick Comparison for Common Hawksĭid you recently see a hawk? There’s a 90% chance it’s one of the following three: Species Size Appearance Red-tailed Hawk Large Adults have red tails, “belly band” across midsection. Below is the list of all hawks species documented in Texas. Of the 18 hawk species, several are rare for the state, while others are seasonal and only in Texas during certain months. Texas officially has 18 documented species of hawk, not including similar birds of prey like kites, falcons, and eagles.įor Falcon species in Texas, see our T exas Falcons and How to Tell Them Apart.
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