Hawks

NPS/Jane Gambel

Northern Harrier (Circus hidsonius)

Northern Harriers are generally 16-24 inches tall (40-61 cm) and a wingspan of 3 ft. 6 in (1.1 m). Their colors differ between males and females. Males tend to have grey feathers, black wingtips, and white bellies and underwings; females are brown with black bands on their tails and off-white bellies. This hawk is best known by its shape and its long slow flight with its wings in a shallow V position. These hawks live in marshes, fields and prairie habitats. Their diet consists of small mammals and small birds, as well as bigger prey such as rabbits and ducks.

Fun Facts: Northern Harrier hawks are sometimes mistaken for an owl, due to their heart-shaped face, which helps direct sound to their ears to better locate their prey. All Northern Harriers have a while patch on their behinds that are very noticeable in flight and can help with identification from a distance.

 

NPS/Wallace Keck

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

Sharp-shinned hawks are roughly the size of a blue-jay at 11 in (28 cm) tall and have a wingspan of 23 in (58 cm). Adults have blue-gray crowns, backs and wings with a pale red-brown streaked throat, chest and belly. These birds of prey tend to hunt smaller songbirds but are also known to hunt rodents like mice or voles. The Sharp-shinned hawk tend to live in forested areas that have an abundance of prey, but they are seldom seen. Often, the best times to see these hawks are when they are migrating south for the winter, as they move in large groups.

Fun Fact: Due to their longer name, Sharp-shinned hawks are sometimes called “Sharpies”. The male Sharp-shinned haws are generally 57% smaller than the female hawks.

 

Jim Shuler, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-tailed Hawks are generally 18-26 in (45-66 cm) in height and have a wingspan of around 4 feet (1.2 m). Their most distinctive feature is their reddish-brown tail in adults. The color of this hawk can vary from dark brown to nearly white. The belly and underwing tend to be lighter in color than the wings and upper side of the bird. Red-tailed hawks can live in many different environments from cliffsides to forests. Their diet generally consists of rodents, but they will occasionally hunt other birds, rabbits, or snakes. The best time to see these birds is during the day when they are hunting or protecting their territory.

Fun Facts: Red-tail hawks are highly territorial and will defend where they live against other birds and hawks. The vision of the Red-tailed hawk is about eight times more powerful than a human!Red-tail Hawks mate for life and will return to the same nesting spot year after year.