Red-shouldered hawk

Buteo lineatus

Description:

Neighborhood hawks who visit different yards in search of food. Usually one bird at a time visits; on this day, two hawks were sitting in a tree observing the wildlife below. They left the squirrels and chipmunks alone, eventually flying off to find a meal elsewhere. The first four photos are of one bird and the fifth one is the second bird.

Habitat:

Urban residential neighborhood in small town

Species ID Suggestions

7 Comments

Maria dB 5 years ago

Thanks, Daniele!

DanielePralong 5 years ago

Beautiful birds and interesting observations Maria! Happy New Year!

Maria dB 5 years ago

Thanks, Michael and Sarah! They are indeed very attractive raptors!

SarahWhitt 5 years ago

These are BEAUTIFUL birds, Maria!!
NICE spotting!!

Michael Strydom 5 years ago

Great shots Maria!! Majestic Bird

Maria dB 5 years ago

Thanks, Neil! They are beautiful birds. I don't think they hunt together. Last year, this or another one was perched above my little man-made pond for well over an hour; it finally plunged in and got a frog and just as it emerged from the pond another hawk flew in and tried to take the frog away! Fortunately, the patient hunter got away with its meal.

Neil Ross 5 years ago

Great spotting, Maria. These birds are gorgeous. There doesn't appear to be an obvious difference between the sexes, but would you know if the males and females hunt together, or are they more solitary. It is a very attractive species, and one I've not seen before now.