Hawks

 Hawks of the Carolinas 

Pair of Red Tailed Hawks perched on electrical tower

Birds of prey are any group of predatory birds that feature a hooked bill and sharp talons. Diurnal species such as hawks, eagles, and the distantly related falcons hunt primarily during the day, while owls are nocturnal predators. Some oddities such as the Loggerhead Shrike can also be considered a predatory bird even though it is a songbird. Other birds capable of eating vertebrate prey like herons, crows, jays, magpies, and grackles, are not birds of prey, nor are the condors and vultures which are scavengers. Hawks are the most diverse and oftentimes frequently encountered avian predators in any region of North America or Europe and many species will live near or in developed areas.  

Hawks are diurnal birds of prey that part of the family Accipitridae and usually feature broad wings and large talons. This group of birds may also be referred to as raptors. The family includes sea eagles, typical eagles, kites, and the osprey in addition to birds that are called "hawks". Compared to the other daytime predators, hawks are often more generalized in prey choice and habitat although each species has developed its own niche to minimize competition. The Carolinas have six species of hawks with all of them being found in the Cape Fear Region at some point of the year. Other closely related birds such as the Mississippi Kite, Bald Eagle, and Osprey are also regular residents or visitors to our area but are very different from the "true hawks". There are two major groups of hawks, the Buzzards genus Bueto, and the Sparrowhawks genus Accipiter, while the Harrier fits into its own group.

Featured Species 

• Red Tailed Hawk
• Red Shouldered Hawk
• Broad Winged Hawk
• Cooper's Hawk
• Sharp Shinned Hawk

Buzzards

Red Tailed Hawk in flight, notice broad wings and tail

Buzzards or Bueto Hawks are mid-sized to large raptors that are identified by their broad wings and their tendency to soar for long periods of time. These are the hawks that most people are familiar as they are large, conspicuous, and often live in open habitats. The main old-world species of Bueto is the Buzzard Bueto bueto, which common across Europe, Africa, and Asia and an opportunistic predator. In North America, the Red Tailed Hawk Bueto jamaicensis, serves the same niche and is our most powerful diurnal predator aside from the eagles. Buzzards are not to be confused with vultures which in parts of North America are called "buzzards". Condors and New World Vultures (Cathartidae) look like hawks but are entirely dependent on carrion or weak prey and are incapable of hunting. These birds are also more closely related to storks as well. Buzzards hunt largely ground based prey such as small mammals and reptiles, although they can catch flying insects and birds on occasion. 

Juvenile Red Tailed Hawk, note its pale chest

Red Tailed Hawk Bueto jamaicensis: The Red Tailed Hawk is our largest hawk with some birds approaching 60cm or 24" in length with wingspan around 1.2m or 4ft. This hawk is present year-round in all regions of the Carolinas and is generally nonmigratory although northern birds do increase populations during the winter. Red Tailed Hawks live in open countryside, grasslands, and areas with mixes of woodland, fields, and manmade structures like electrical poles, or barns. They also live in urban and suburban areas where they may nest or perch on rooftops, billboards, or cellular signal towers. This hawk hunts mostly rodents and small mammals with tree squirrels, ground squirrels, rabbits, and voles being the main part of their diet. Red Tails also hunt larger mammals, large or slow-moving birds like herons and waterfowl, and insects like cicadas or dragonflies on occasion. They mostly hunt from open perches and pounce on prey from above. They nest in tall trees, telephone poles, towers, and human-made structures. 

ID: Large with broad wings, somewhat eagle-like. Adult birds vary in color but usually have reddish tails and brown or blackish bodies. Juveniles are harder, although the best way to tell the birds is by their size, wingspan, and habits. Red Tails are almost always seen in open areas and are the most likely hawks to be seen riding thermals. 

Call: A screaming "Keesheeerrw" like the stereotypical scream used to depict hawks, vultures, or eagles in films or cartoons.  

Learn More: Cornell All About Birds  

Red Shouldered Hawks are more brightly colored than other hawks

Red Shouldered Hawk Bueto lineatus: Red Shouldered Hawks are a slightly smaller and more agile buzzard that mostly hunts in woodlands and small meadows. These hawks are around 43cm or 17" in length and have 1.1m or 3.5ft wingspans, making them noticeably smaller than Red Tails, though individuals of both species can be larger or smaller than normal.  Red Shouldered Hawks are year-round residents but may increase with an influx of migrating birds from the north or interior. Their main habitats are forest edges or interiors near water or small openings, although they also thrive in wooded neighborhoods, parks, and remnant forests. They compete fiercely with the Red Tailed Hawk and any overlap in territory could lead to fighting. For this reason, Red Tails are more common in open and urbanized areas, while Red Shouldered Hawks mostly stick close to forests and woodlands and hunt closer to the ground. This  hawk hunts a wide-range of prey but prefers voles, woodland mice, squirrels, and reptiles.  They are also more efficient at hunting other birds and will occasionally take songbirds, ducklings, and raid nests, while insects are taken as well. Hunting techniques are similar with birds hunting from an open or covered perch catching prey on the wing. Red Shouldered Hawks nest in large trees within woodlands.

ID: Mid-sized to large, (about the size of a Common Crow) with broad wings and a fairly long tail. The Red Shouldered Hawk is slimmer than the Red Tailed Hawk. Adults are very colorful with orange bars   on the body, reddish shoulders, and black and white tail and wings. Individual birds will vary and juveniles are often whitish and can be mistaken for a small Red Tail. 

Call: A loud shrieking call that is shorter and sharper than the Red Tail. This hawk is very vocal. 

Learn More: Cornell All About Birds

Broad Winged Hawk during autumn migration  

Broad Winged Hawk Bueto platypterus: The Broad Winged Hawk is the least common of the buzzards and also our smallest hawk of this category. Adults are around 38cm or 15" long which is smaller than most crows while the wingspan is 87cm or 34". These hawks are primarily summer residents in the Carolinas and are more likely to be encountered as spring or autumn migrants, especially in the Appalachian Mountains. These hawks live mostly in hardwood or mixed forests with closed canopies and are often inconspicuous. Adults often fly over the treetops or take covered perches, although migrants are most likely to be found in kettles (flocks) as they soar in thermals. This hawk hunts small rodents, songbirds, and lizards in the treetops and nests within forests. 

ID: Small and compact with very broad wings and tail in flight. Adults are dark brown or black above with white underwings, a tail with a single white bar, and a brown chest. Perched birds can be mistaken for Red Shouldered Hawk, as larger female Broad Wings can be the same size as the smallest Red Shouldered Hawk males and juveniles can be brownish. 

Call: Makes a sharp "PeeWeeer" call that can be mistaken for the more commonly encountered Mississippi Kite, or songbirds like the Wood Pewee. 

Learn More: Cornell All About Birds

Sparrowhawks 

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk, Sparrowhawks have slender profiles overall

Sparrowhawks or Accipiters are small to mid-sized hawks that characterized by their long, slender profile, and falcon-like flight. These hawks are named for their tendency to hunt primarily other birds with the Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus being the main Old World specie. There are three species of Accipiters that occur across most of the Americas including the Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis. which is also found in Europe and Asia. The Carolinas have only two species of sparrowhawks, with both of them preying primarily on birds. Accipiter Hawks mostly remain in dense cover to ambush prey from a perch, or fly low to the ground or tree line to attack birds by surprise. Sparrowhawks are not to be confused with Falcons which primarily on the wing and are more compact, and suited for aerial hunting. Falcons are in another family that is closer to parrots and woodpeckers, and will be described in a later article. 

Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii: The Cooper's Hawk is the largest of the two sparrowhawks in the Carolinas and is usually the second most common hawk after the Red Tailed Hawk. This hawk is fairly large with adults being around 45cm or 18in long and a wingspan of 80cm or 31", which puts it at the same size range as a Red Shouldered Hawk except with a lightweight build. Cooper's Hawks can be found in almost any setting and are commonly encountered in open woodlands, meadows, parks, suburban gardens, cities, and along roadsides. These birds are year-round residents but like the Red Tailed and Red Shouldered Hawks they are more numerous in the winter due to northern population shifts. The Cooper's Hawk hunts by perching in open or covered perches and darting after birds that venture out into the open. These hawks will also chase birds in flight, sometimes flying only a few cm/inches above the ground at a high-rate of speed, while weaving around trees or objects. Avian prey can range from small birds like warblers to ducks but rarely anything larger than itself. Cooper's Hawks are not strictly bird-eaters and will also take rodents, insects, and even small rabbits on occasion. This hawk is also known to hunt birds at feeders and bird tables. They nest in forested areas, hedgerows, as well as parks and wooded gardens.

ID: The Cooper's Hawk is a mid-sized hawk with a slender profile, very long tail, and narrow, pointed wings that are straight (like a cross or letter T). Perched birds may be mistaken for cuckoos, or other long-tailed birds but their streaked bodies and hooked bill are distinctive characteristics. Adults have reddish bodies and forewings with black and white wings and a banded tail. The back is dark grey to bluish. 

Mississippi Kites are similar in shape but are greyish and mostly hunt while soaring or gliding, they rarely hunt birds. 

Call: Mostly silent, although nesting birds make a loud Kak-kak-kak-kak call similar to a cuckoo or Common Flicker as well as various squeals.

Learn More: Cornell All About Birds

Sharp Shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus: Sharp Shinned Hawks are our smallest hawk and after the Screech Owl and Kestrel is our third smallest bird of prey. These hawks are essentially the New World counterpart of the Common Sparrowhawk and occupy the same niche and are widespread. These birds average 25cm or 10" long and are barely larger than familiar garden birds like the Mourning Dove or American Robin. These birds are found in almost any habitat but tend to prefer woodlands, wooded or semi-open countryside, and meadowlands. In the Carolinas, Sharp Shinned Hawks nest only in the Appalachian Corridor and are generally migrants or winter residents elsewhere. In the Cape Fear, the Sharp Shinned Hawk is an uncommon autumn migrant and fairly rare as a winterer. This hawk competes directly with the Cooper's Hawk which on rare occasions can prey on its smaller counterpart. Sharp Shinned Hawks are true "sparrowhawks" with their diet consisting almost entirely on small songbirds. These birds are agile hunters that can easily weave their way through forests and suburban neighborhoods at high speed and catch birds as small as chickadees or warblers. Unlike falcons, Sharp Shinned Hawks stay close to the ground or trees and ambush their prey from perches. They will come to bird tables in the autumn and winter like the Cooper's Hawk and may visit periodically to hunt birds that visit.  

ID: Very small hawk that is smaller on average Mourning Doves and is told from the Merlin by its longer tail and behaivor. The birds are slender with long tails and can be mistaken for cuckoos, doves, or similar sized birds in poor light. In flight, Sharp-Shinned Hawks have wings that are slightly bowed forward (not a cross or T shape), long tails, and rapid wingbeats alternated by stiff glides. Adults are almost the same color as the Cooper's Hawk. 

The Merlin is much shorter tailed, has pointed wings, and hunts primarily in the sky, while the Kestrel hunts mainly by hovering over open areas and is smaller.

Call: Mostly silent outside of nesting 

Learn More: Cornell All About Birds