Birds Daytime

Red-shouldered Hawk

Buteo lineatus

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

Vibrant and vocal, the Red-shouldered Hawk is the stunning 'woodland whistler' of the raptors. Recognizable by their fiery plumage and checkered wings, these hawks bring a touch of wild elegance to wooded suburbs and wetlands alike.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 17-24 in (43-61 cm); Wingspan: 37-43 in (94-110 cm); Weight: 1.1-1.7 lbs (486-774 g)

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Colors

Adults feature warm reddish-orange 'shoulders' and barred underparts; wings are distinctively checkered black and white; tail is dark with narrow white bands.

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Key Features

Vivid reddish-orange barring on chest and shoulders
Checkered black-and-white wing pattern
Translucent 'crescents' near the wingtips visible in flight
Dark tail with multiple narrow white bands

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM

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Season Year-round

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Diet An opportunistic carnivore that eats small mammals (voles, mice), amphibians (frogs, toads), reptiles (snakes, lizards), and occasionally large insects or crayfish.

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Habitat Deciduous or mixed woodlands, usually located near a water source like a stream, swamp, or suburban pond.

Behavior

Red-shouldered Hawks are among the most vocal raptors you’ll encounter, often heard long before they are seen. Their distinctive, screaming 'kee-aah' call is a hallmark of the forest edge and is frequently mimicked by Blue Jays. Unlike some of their larger cousins who soar for hours in the open sky, these hawks are sit-and-wait predators, preferring to scan the ground from a low-hanging branch or a telephone wire.

They are highly territorial and remarkably loyal to their nesting sites, often returning to the same patch of woods for many years. In suburban environments, they have become quite comfortable around humans, often hunting in backyards that offer a mix of open grass and mature trees. While they are bold defenders of their nests, they generally maintain a calm, watchful presence during the day, moving between several favorite perches within their home range.

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Camera Tips

To capture high-quality footage of a Red-shouldered Hawk, focus your camera placement on 'transitional zones'—where your lawn meets thicker wooded areas or near the edge of a backyard pond. These hawks are 'perch hunters,' meaning they spend hours sitting on branches 10 to 20 feet off the ground. Position your camera on a fence post or a lower tree trunk at about 5-7 feet high, facing a clear patch of ground or a known hunting perch. If you notice a hawk frequently using a specific branch or utility pole, angle your camera to capture the space just below it where they are likely to strike.

Water is the absolute best natural lure for this species. Red-shouldered Hawks are surprisingly fond of bathing, more so than many other large raptors. If you have a large, sturdy bird bath or a shallow garden pond, aim your camera there. Use a fast trigger speed or 'Burst Mode' to catch the action, as their visits to the water are often punctuated by dramatic wing-splashing and vigorous shaking. Early morning light provides the best color rendition for their fiery orange breast feathers.

During the winter months, these hawks are often easier to photograph because the lack of foliage provides a clearer line of sight for your camera’s motion sensor. If you’re using a trail camera, set the sensitivity to high, as birds can sometimes move too quickly for standard settings. Avoid the temptation to use meat as bait, which can attract unwanted scavengers or habituate the hawk to humans; instead, maintain a 'wild' corner of your yard with tall grass or a brush pile. This attracts the frogs and mice that serve as a natural food source, turning your yard into a reliable hunting ground for the hawks.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Red-shouldered Hawk.

Red-tailed Hawk

Larger with a signature cinnamon-red tail; lacks the checkered wing pattern and has a pale chest with a dark 'belly band'.

Cooper's Hawk

Smaller with a much longer, rounded tail; has a more 'flap-flap-glide' flight pattern and lacks the white wing crescents.

Broad-winged Hawk

Smaller with a much thicker white band on the tail; they are typically only seen in North America during the summer breeding season.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Red-shouldered Hawks are strictly diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. They are most frequently seen and heard hunting in the morning hours, typically between 7:00 AM and 11:00 AM, though they will continue to hunt until dusk if food is scarce.

The best way to attract them is to provide water and habitat for their prey. A large, ground-level bird bath or a small pond is very enticing. Additionally, keeping a portion of your yard 'wild' with native plants and brush piles will attract the frogs, snakes, and rodents they hunt.

Their diet is highly varied, consisting of small mammals like mice and voles, but they are particularly known for eating 'herps'—amphibians and reptiles. They frequently hunt frogs, toads, and small non-venomous snakes near water sources.

Yes, they are very well-adapted to suburbia, provided there are mature trees for nesting and nearby water. They are often more common in residential areas than the larger Red-tailed Hawk, which prefers more open, expansive terrain.

Red-shouldered Hawks are smaller and have a brilliant orange-barred chest, while Red-tailed Hawks usually have a 'belly band' of brown streaks on a white chest. In flight, look for the Red-shouldered Hawk's translucent 'crescents' near the wing tips, which Red-tails lack.

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