Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Red-shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus

Family Accipitridae (Kites, Hawks, Eagles)

Size: 17"

Season: Summer

Habitat: Wooded areas near water

The red-shouldered hawk is a solitary, small buteo with a long tail. It waits patiently on its perch before flying down to attack a variety of small animals. It has a banded black-and-white tail and spotted dark wings. The head and shoulder are rust colored, while the breast is light with rust barring. The legs are long and yellow, and the bill is hooked. In flight there is a pale arc just inside the wing tips, and it flaps its wings with quick beats followed by short glides. Western populations are darker overall than their eastern counterparts. The adult is illustrated.