Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
Buteo lineatus 3
A relatively large (17-24 inches) hawk, the Red-shouldered Hawk takes its name from the large rust-colored shoulder patches visible from above or while perching. This species may also be identified by its brown back, barred white-and-black wings, and broad black tail banded with white. A pale form, with washed-out plumage on the chest, back, and head, occurs in south Florida. Like most species of raptors, females are larger than males. The Red-shouldered Hawk primarily breeds in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, withdrawing from northern portions of its range and expanding south into northern Mexico in winter. Unusually for a North American hawk, the Red-shouldered Hawk has another population, separated from the main population by thousands of miles, that is a permanent resident along the Pacific coast of California. Eastern Red-Shouldered Hawks inhabit mature forests with deciduous or mixed deciduous and evergreen trees. Western populations also inhabit these habitat types, but are also likely to be found in human-altered environments near woods. Red-shouldered Hawks primarily eat small vertebrates, including small mammals, amphibians, and occasionally small songbirds and doves. Red-shouldered Hawks may be most easily observed while hunting, when they drop down from high perches to capture terrestrial prey with their talons. This species may also be observed perching, although this hawk’s coloration and the dense vegetation of its preferred habitat help to provide camouflage. Red-shouldered Hawks are most active during the day.
Conservation status 4
Before 1900, red-shouldered hawks were one of the most common hawk species in eastern North America. They have become less common because of hunting and destruction of their forest habitat. Red-shouldered hawks are also accidentally poisoned by insecticides. They often are not able to raise young when there is human disturbance, such as logging, near their nests.
This species is listed as threatened or endangered in several U.S. states, including Michigan. It is protected in the U.S. under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This species is also listed under CITES Appendix II.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
US Migratory Bird Act: protected
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix ii
State of Michigan List: threatened
Habitat 5
Red-shouldered hawks live in forests and swamps. They build their nests 6 to 15 meters (20 to 60 feet) above the ground in the branches of hardwood trees in wet woodland areas. They prefer to have dead trees nearby, where they can perch and see the forest floor.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest
Wetlands: swamp
Sources and Credits
- (c) Bob, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/24948533@N00/3218807582
- (c) Mike Baird from Morro Bay, USA, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Red-shouldered-hawk_1.jpg/460px-Red-shouldered-hawk_1.jpg
- Adapted by Natalie LaScala from a work by (c) Smithsonian Institution, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34818332
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25063738
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25063728
