Hawks are agile birds of prey found across almost every habitat. Here are some of the most common types you are likely to see.
Soaring buteo hawks
Buteos are broad-winged hawks that soar in wide circles over open country. The red-tailed hawk is the most familiar in North America, known for its rusty tail and its scream often used in films. The red-shouldered hawk favours wet woodlands and has bold reddish shoulders. The broad-winged hawk migrates in huge flocks called kettles. These birds mostly hunt small mammals from a perch or on the wing. For diet details see what hawks eat.
Agile accipiter hawks
Accipiters are woodland hawks with short wings and long tails built for fast, twisting flight among trees. Cooper's hawk and the smaller sharp-shinned hawk are the classic backyard bird hunters, often seen chasing songbirds near feeders. The northern goshawk is a larger, fierce forest hunter. These agile hawks rely on surprise rather than soaring. To see how long these raptors live, read hawk lifespan, and explore the wider birds of prey group.
More hawks worth knowing
Beyond the familiar soaring and woodland hawks, a few species stand out for their own reasons. The Harris's hawk is unusual because it hunts in cooperative groups, working together to corner prey in a way few other raptors do. The ferruginous hawk holds the title of the largest hawk in North America, a broad, powerful bird of open country. And Swainson's hawks are great travellers, gathering in huge flocks to migrate all the way to South America each year. Each shows a different side of what it means to be a hawk. Our birds of prey page introduces more of these hunters.
How to identify a hawk
Telling hawks apart gets easier once you know what to look for. Start with size, then wing and tail shape, and finally the bird's flight style. Broad-winged buteos, the larger soaring hawks, circle high on rising air with wings held wide. Short-winged accipiters take a different approach, flapping and gliding as they weave through trees in pursuit of birds. Watching how a hawk moves through the sky often tells you as much as its markings. With a little practice, that flight style becomes one of the quickest ways to name the hawk overhead. You can also read about how long hawks live.