Red-Shouldered Hawk

Quick Take

• Crows and Red-Shouldered Hawks are fierce rivals, yet they regularly team up against a common enemy. The dynamic between these species is far stranger than a simple feud. See the crow rivalry →
• This hawk performs an aerial courtship ritual so dramatic that it continues even after a mate is secured, and the reason why reveals something unexpected about how pairs bond. See the sky-dance courtship →
• Fewer than half of Red-Shouldered Hawks survive their first year, yet the population is actively growing. Something about how this species reproduces doesn't add up. Until it does. See the survival stats →
• One pair of these hawks held the same nesting territory for 16 years, and how they chose that site in the first place is something scientists still can't fully explain. Explore nesting site loyalty →

The Red-Shouldered Hawk has a ‘frenemy’ relationship with crows. While crows and hawks often fight, they also team up against owls.

The red-shouldered hawk flies over developed woods and water. This is one of the most distinctively marked hawk species, which makes them quite easy to identify. The upper part of their body is reddish-peach, almost as if they had rolled in red mud.

Their unique whistle also makes them easy to locate, making them well-loved by birdwatchers. Their wings form translucent crescents in flight, allowing you to identify them from a distance.

4 Amazing Red-Shouldered Hawk Facts

• Feud: The red-shouldered hawk is often mobbed by crows. However, the relationship is not one-sided, as these hawks steal food from crows when possible.
• And Another Feud: These hawks are also commonly seen attacking (and being attacked by) Great Horned Owls. Each species is known to steal and eat the nestlings of the other.
• Home Sweet Home: These birds return to the same nesting site each year, though they won’t necessarily use the same nest. One pair of birds was observed holding the same nesting territory for 16 years.
• Long-Lived: The oldest known red-shouldered hawk was at least 25 years old. However, older hawks have likely existed; we just can’t age hawks from a distance.

Where to Find Red-Shouldered Hawks

Red-shouldered hawks have a very distinctive whistle that makes them easy to locate from a distance. Once you know this whistle, you can often find them around streams or ponds, where they hunt for perch.

In the spring, you may also see them circling their nesting area. Their wing shape and coloration make them pretty easy to ID from afar.

Geographically speaking, these birds are found year-round in the eastern United States. They also migrate into some northern areas of the United States and into southern Canada. They may also migrate into Mexico, but they do not breed in these areas.

Nests

Red-shouldered hawks are one of the few birds that will reuse nests from previous years. We don’t know how the nesting site is chosen. However, once one is chosen, you can expect birds to come back to it each year if they are able.

Usually, the male arrives at the site first and will defend it. The female arrives later.

In most cases, the nest is placed in a broad-leaved tree below the forest canopy. Usually, they place it on the crotch of the main trunk. For hunting purposes, the nest will usually be near a pond, lake, or stream.

Both genders help build the nest or repair the previous year’s nest. Sticks are the main component of these 2-foot nests, though they are lined with soft materials like bark and moss. Fresh green leaves are added throughout the nesting season.

Classification and Scientific Name

The red-shouldered hawk is a member of the genus Buteo. This genus contains medium-sized raptors (aka hawks), which have large bodies and broad wings. In Europe, members of this genus are usually called “buzzards”—not “hawks” like they are in North America.

This genus is classified in the larger Accipitridae family. This family varies considerably. However, it contains small to large birds with hooked bills. Beyond that, their morphology varies, as each species is specialized to hunt specific prey.

Size, Appearance & Behavior

These hawks are medium-sized birds with rounded, broad wings. Their tails are medium-length and fan out behind them when they fly. Usually, they glide more than they flap, which can help you ID them from a distance.

Adult red-shouldered hawks have a very rich, red coloration on their “shoulders” and chest. Their tail and wings are black with narrow, white bands. However, younger hawks are typically brown instead of red or black. Their coloring is far more muted.

These birds are usually seen flying above forests or perching on tree branches. While flying, they often whistle—a call unique to this species. Therefore, if you can ID this whistle, you can often find them pretty easily.

When hunting, these birds perch near a body of water and watch for prey below. In wilder areas, they flush easily and retreat into cover. However, in populated areas, they become more tolerant of humans and may even be approachable.

Diet

Like all hawks, red-shouldered hawks eat small mammals. However, this species also consumes large quantities of fish, which is why they commonly nest near bodies of water.

What Does a Red-Shouldered Hawk Eat?

For the most part, their diet is made up of small mammals and amphibians. They will also consume snakes and lizards if given the chance. They are opportunistic predators, which means that they will typically take the opportunity to eat something even if it doesn’t fit their “normal” diet.

These birds will hunt from perches above shallow water or in the forest. They will sit until they catch sight of a prey item below. Then, they will descend swiftly and catch the unlucky creature below.

Occasionally, the hawks will eat other birds. However, this appears to be less common than predation on small mammals, perhaps because birds are harder to catch.

Predators, Threats, and Conservation Status

The red-shouldered hawk currently falls in the least concern category. The estimated breeding population is currently 1.9 million. The population is currently increasing by approximately 2% per year. However, the biggest threat to their population is the clearing of wooded habitat, which these birds rely on.

What Eats the Red-Shouldered Hawk?

The red-shouldered hawk is typically at the top of the food chain. Therefore, they are rarely preyed upon by other animals. However, they do have a competitive relationship with owls and crows, which may rarely end in the death of a hawk.

Raccoons, snakes, and similar animals may prey on young hawks and their eggs. However, they are not common predators of adult birds.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

Red-shouldered hawks are monogamous and territorial. They will defend their nesting territory during the breeding season.

To attract a mate, males perform a “sky dance” that involves steep dives and spirals. These dances may continue even after the male has mated with a female. Mated pairs will soar together in wide circles and dive towards each other.

Their mating season is between April and June. The breeding pair builds a nest and then lays three to four eggs. The eggs are blotchy, brown or lavender in color. The incubation period ranges from 28 to 33 days. However, not all the eggs hatch at the same time. The first hatchling may hatch a week before the last.

The female feeds the hatchlings almost constantly for 40 days. The male mostly captures food, but there are reports of males incubating. The young leave the nest at around 6 weeks. However, they remain dependent on the parent until 17 to 19 weeks old.

Even young birds that are no longer dependent often stay near the nest until the following breeding season. Sexual maturity is usually attained around one to two years of age, but birds rarely mate in their first year.

Overall nesting success is often below 30%, and while these birds can live up to 20 years, fewer than half survive their first year.

Population

The current breeding population is around 1.9 million, with the population increasing by about 2% each year. This species is not endangered, and its conservation concern rating is low.