Arizona is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including various species of hawks. These majestic birds of prey can be found throughout the state, from the deserts to the forests.
In this article, we will explore the eight most common types of hawks in Arizona. We will provide an overview of each species, including their physical characteristics, habitat, and behavior.
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Whether you are a birdwatcher or simply interested in learning more about the wildlife in Arizona, this article will provide you with valuable insights into these fascinating birds.
8 Types Of Hawks In Arizona
Red-tailed Hawk
The Red-tailed Hawk is the most common hawk in North America and can be found throughout the United States, Canada, and into Mexico and Central America.
In Arizona, Red-tailed Hawks are year-round residents, but those in the far northern part of their range move south for the winter, resulting in an uptick in hawk abundance in Arizona starting in October.
These hawks can be found in a variety of habitats, including riparian woodlands, mountains, deserts, agricultural fields, and urban areas, as long as there are elevated perching sites for hunting.
The Red-tailed Hawk is also the most commonly observed hawk in the US. These hawks have a reddish-brown tail and a white chest with a brown belly. They exhibit fascinating nesting behavior. The Red-tailed Hawk is a prominent raptor in Arizona and can be seen almost everywhere, from the deep backcountry to urban cities to suburban backyards.
Cooper’s Hawk
The Cooper’s Hawk is a medium-sized hawk that can be found in wooded areas and suburban neighborhoods in Arizona. However, it is important to note that the search results mainly refer to a restaurant chain called Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, which has several locations in Arizona.
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The restaurant is an upscale casual dining establishment that offers a full-service bar, private dining room, and Napa-style tasting room and retail gift store. While the restaurant is not related to the bird species, it is named after it and features a wine club that sends members a new wine each month.
If you are interested in learning more about the Cooper’s Hawk bird species in Arizona, it is recommended to consult birding resources or visit local parks and nature reserves where they may be observed.
Broad-winged Hawk
The Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) is a medium-sized bird of prey found in the Americas. It breeds in large deciduous or mixed forests throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada, usually near forest openings and bodies of water.
The nest is in the lower third of the canopy, usually in the first main crotch of a deciduous tree or on a platform of horizontal branches against the trunk of a conifer.
Pairs sometimes reuse their nests from previous years or renovate old nests of other species. Broad-winged Hawks are migratory and move south to winter in Central and South America.
During migration, they become highly gregarious and migrating flocks can contain thousands of individuals. They are often found feeding near openings created by roads, trails, or wetlands.
Broad-winged Hawks are active during the day and hunt by watching for prey from a perch, usually located along the edge of woods or near water.
When prey is spotted, the hawk swoops down rapidly to capture the creature in its talons. The Broad-winged Hawk is one of only five North American raptors that are complete migrants.
Ferruginous Hawk
The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) is a large bird of prey that belongs to the broad-winged buteo hawks. Here are some key facts about the Ferruginous Hawk:
Physical Characteristics:
– The Ferruginous Hawk is the largest buteo in North America, with a length of 20 to 27 inches and a wingspan of 52 to 56 inches.
– Light-morph Ferruginous Hawks are strikingly pale and distinctive, with a reddish back and legs.
– Dark-morph Ferruginous Hawks are dark brown overall with a pale head and underparts.
Habitat and Behavior:
– Ferruginous Hawks can be found in prairies, deserts, and open range of the West.
– They hunt from a lone tree, rock outcrop, or from high in the sky.
– Ferruginous Hawks rely primarily on ground squirrels, jackrabbits, pocket gophers, prairie dogs, and kangaroo rats for food.
– In winter, groups of 5–10 Ferruginous Hawks congregate in prairie dog towns, striking prey when it emerges.
– Ferruginous Hawks may nest in close proximity to each other, less than a half a mile away.
– They select rocky outcrops, hillsides, rock pinnacles, or trees for nest sites.
– Nests may be built right on the ground and are built of large twigs or roots, grasses, old bones, or cow or horse dung.
– Both the male and female participate in nest building, followed by the laying and incubation of three or four eggs that are laid at two-day intervals.
Conservation Status:
– The Ferruginous Hawk is considered threatened and has declined seriously over most of its range.
– The current population may be fewer than 4,000 pairs.
– Causes of decline include shooting and loss of habitat.
Overall, the Ferruginous Hawk is a regal bird of prey that is well-adapted to the open country of the West. Its large size and powerful hunting abilities make it a well-regarded falconry bird, though not recommended for beginners due to its aggressive personality.
Sharp-shinned Hawk
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The Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) is a small hawk that is found in North America. Here are some key facts about the Sharp-shinned Hawk:
Physical Characteristics:
– The Sharp-shinned Hawk is the smallest hawk in Canada and the United States.
– Males are the smallest hawks in the United States and Canada, but with the species averaging larger than some Neotropical species, such as the tiny hawk.
– Females are considerably larger than males, approaching the size of a male Cooper’s Hawk.
– They have small heads that in flight do not always project beyond the “wrists” of the wings.
– The tail tends to be square-tipped and may show a notch at the tip.
– On average, males are the size of an American Kestrel, slightly larger than a jay.
– Length: 9.4-13.4 in (24-34 cm)
– Weight: 3.1-7.7 oz (87-218 g)
– Wingspan: 16.9-22.1 in (43-56 cm)
Habitat and Behavior:
– Sharp-shinned Hawks are agile fliers that speed through dense woods to surprise their prey, typically songbirds.
– They hunt mostly by perching inside foliage and waiting for small birds to approach, or by approaching stealthily through dense cover, then bursting forth with incredibly swift flight to capture prey in their talons.
– Sometimes they hunt by flying rapidly among the trees or low over the ground, threading their way around obstacles, taking prey by sudden surprise.
– They are opportunistic hunters and often hunt from a perch and dart out from hiding to catch prey.
– Sharp-shinned Hawks pluck their prey before eating them.
– They get sufficient water from prey and do not need to drink.
– Their secretive behavior and camouflaged nests help Sharp-shinned Hawks avoid predators.
– Known predators of Sharp-shinned Hawks include bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and northern goshawks.
Conservation Status:
– The Sharp-shinned Hawk is not considered globally threatened, but populations in some areas have declined due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
– In the eastern United States, Sharp-shinned Hawks have shown significant declines in recent years.
Rough-legged Hawk
The Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) is a medium-large bird of prey that is found in Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America, Europe, and Russia during the breeding season and migrates south for the winter. Here are some key facts about the Rough-legged Hawk:
Physical Characteristics:
– Rough-legged Hawks are fairly large hawks with broad wings that, compared to other Buteo hawks, are fairly long and narrow.
– The tail is also longer than in many other buteos.
– The wingtips are broad and often swept back slightly from the wrist, giving a hint of an M shape to the wing.
– The bill is fairly small.
– Length: 18.5-20.5 in (47-52 cm)
– Weight: 25.2-49.4 oz (715-1400 g)
– Wingspan: 52.0-54.3 in (132-138 cm)
Habitat and Behavior:
– Rough-legged Hawks spend the summer capturing lemmings on the arctic tundra, tending a cliffside nest under a sun that never sets.
– Winter is the time to watch for them on winter road trips, as their bold tail and underwing pattern, as well as black belly patches, can often be clearly seen—even at highway speeds.
– Rough-legged Hawks are known for their feathered legs, which extend all the way to their toes.
– They are opportunistic hunters and feed on a variety of prey, including small mammals, birds, and insects.
– Rough-legged Hawks often hover over fields, watching for movement below, or watch from a perch, or patrol low over the ground.
– They build their nests on cliff faces, using sticks and other materials.
– Rough-legged Hawks are monogamous and mate for life.
Conservation Status:
– The Rough-legged Hawk is not considered globally threatened, but populations in some areas have declined due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
– Local populations in the Arctic go up and down, largely as a result of rodent populations there.
– Overall numbers of Rough-legged Hawks are apparently healthy.
Northern Goshawk
The Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is a large bird of prey that belongs to the family Accipitridae. Here are some key facts about the Northern Goshawk:
Physical Characteristics:
– The Northern Goshawk is the largest and bulkiest of the accipiters, with broad, rounded wings and long tails.
– Females are larger than males, with a length of about 55-61 cm.
– They have relatively long secondary flight feathers that give the trailing edge of the wings a somewhat pinched appearance.
– Adults are overall gray, paler below, with a blackish crown and cheek, white eyebrow, and red eye.
– Immature Northern Goshawks are very similar to Eurasian Sparrowhawks and Cooper’s Hawks, but larger and broader-winged with a more prominent white eyebrow, heavier streaking below, and typically streaked undertail coverts.
Habitat and Behavior:
– Northern Goshawks are secretive birds that typically live in large tracts of forest, so they are hard to find.
– They are vocal near their nests, but they are also fiercely defensive and have been known to attack people who come too close to a nest.
– Northern Goshawks are powerful predators of northern and mountain woods.
– They hunt inside the forest or along its edge, taking their prey by putting on short bursts of speed and agility.
– They feed on a variety of prey, including hares and grouse.
– Northern Goshawks are known for their fierce defense of their nest and have been known to attack people and other animals that approach the nest too closely.
Conservation Status:
– The Northern Goshawk is not considered globally threatened, but populations in some areas have declined due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
– In the United States, the Northern Goshawk is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
– The species is also listed as a species of concern in some states.
Swainson’s Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) is a large bird of prey that belongs to the Accipitriformes order. Here are some key facts about the Swainson’s Hawk:
Physical Characteristics:
– Swainson’s Hawks are large birds of prey with broad wings and short tails.
– They are slimmer and longer-winged than many other buteos, with their wings typically held in a shallow V when soaring.
– They are larger than a Cooper’s Hawk but smaller than a Ferruginous Hawk.
– Length: 18.9-22.1 in (48-56 cm)
– Weight: 24.4-48.2 oz (693-1367 g)
Habitat and Behavior:
– Swainson’s Hawks are found in open country west of the Mississippi River during the summer.
– They perch conspicuously on utility poles, fence posts, and isolated trees in areas that otherwise lack such elevated perches.
– In perch-deprived areas, they can be found standing on the ground in grassland or tilled agricultural fields.
– Swainson’s Hawks are known for their voracious appetite for Acrididae (locusts and grasshoppers) and will eat these insects whenever they are available.
– They are opportunistic hunters and feed on a variety of prey, including small mammals, birds, and insects.
– Swainson’s Hawks engage in display flights during courtship, with circling and steep dives.
– They build their nests on trees or large shrubs in open country, usually 15-30 feet above ground, but may be lower or higher.
– The nest is a platform of sticks, lined with finer twigs and weeds, and may be built on top of an old magpie nest.
Conservation Status:
– The Swainson’s Hawk is not considered globally threatened, but populations in some areas have declined due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
– In California, the Swainson’s Hawk is listed as a threatened species due to loss of habitat and decreased numbers across the state.
FAQS
1. What is the most common hawk in Arizona?
The Red-tailed Hawk is the most common hawk in Arizona.
2. What is the largest hawk in North America?
The Ferruginous Hawk is the largest hawk in North America.
3. What is the smallest hawk in the United States and Canada?
The Sharp-shinned Hawk is the smallest hawk in the United States and Canada.
4. Where can I find the Broad-winged Hawk?
The Broad-winged Hawk can be found in wooded areas and near water sources in Arizona.
5. What is the habitat of the Northern Goshawk?
Northern Goshawks typically live in large tracts of forest in Arizona.
6. What is the diet of the Swainson’s Hawk?
Swainson’s Hawks have a voracious appetite for Acrididae (locusts and grasshoppers) and will eat these insects whenever they are available.
7. Are any of these hawk species threatened or endangered?
The Ferruginous Hawk is considered threatened and has declined seriously over most of its range. In California, the Swainson’s Hawk is listed as a threatened species due to loss of habitat and decreased numbers across the state.
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Category: Birds
