Hawks, Eagles & Kites of California
22 hawks, eagles and kites recorded in California on the eBird network and profiled in the Birbs encyclopedia — the full list, with photos, sounds and ID notes, plus what's near you now.
22 hawks, eagles and kites have been recorded in California on eBird, the global citizen-science database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and carry a full profile in the Birbs encyclopedia. Every bird below is a member of this group — the family Accipitridae. Start with the well-known species, browse the complete list, then check which are being reported near you right now.
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Hawks, Eagles & Kites of California to know first
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
Common Black HawkButeogallus anthracinus
Ferruginous HawkButeo regalis
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos
Grey HawkButeo plagiatus
Harris’s HawkParabuteo unicinctus
Mississippi KiteIctinia mississippiensis
Northern HarrierCircus hudsonius
Pearl KiteGampsonyx swainsonii
Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis
Rough-legged BuzzardButeo lagopus
Savanna HawkButeogallus meridionalis
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus
Swainson’s HawkButeo swainsoni
Swallow-tailed KiteElanoides forficatus
White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
The full list — 22 hawks, eagles and kites of California in our library
- American Goshawk
- Bald Eagle
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Common Black Hawk
- Cooper’s Hawk
- Ferruginous Hawk
- Golden Eagle
- Grey Hawk
- Harris’s Hawk
- Mississippi Kite
- Northern Harrier
- Pearl Kite
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Rough-legged Buzzard
- Savanna Hawk
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Swainson’s Hawk
- Swallow-tailed Kite
- White-tailed Eagle
- White-tailed Kite
- Zone-tailed Hawk
Keep exploring
- Birds of California
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of California (74 species)
- Sandpipers & Allies of California (52 species)
- New World Warblers of California (48 species)
- Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of California (46 species)
- Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of California (43 species)
- New World Sparrows of California (32 species)
- Tyrant Flycatchers of California (32 species)
- True Finches of California (30 species)
- Waxbills & Munias of California (26 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of California (24 species)
- New World Blackbirds & Orioles of California (23 species)
- Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of California (23 species)
- Woodpeckers of California (18 species)
Hawks, Eagles & Kites in other regions
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Texas (29 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Florida (22 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Arizona (21 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of New Mexico (21 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Alaska (20 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Colorado (19 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Alabama (18 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Louisiana (18 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Massachusetts (18 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Oklahoma (18 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Virginia (18 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of India (62 species)
Species and counts come from the eBird network; "recorded" means reported by birders to eBird. Family grouping follows the IOC World Bird List. Tap any bird for its full profile.
Frequently asked questions
How many hawks, eagles and kites are found in California?
22 hawks, eagles and kites that we profile appear on California's eBird-reported checklist. The full A–Z list is on this page; the real total can shift as eBird records are added.
Are all of these hawks, eagles and kites really found there?
Yes — each one is on California's eBird checklist (reported by birders to the Cornell Lab's eBird), and each of these hawks, eagles and kites belongs to the family group named on this page. We don't rank them by abundance, because that varies by season and locale.
Where can I see hawks, eagles and kites in California right now?
Use Birds Near You for live, location-based reports, or turn on rare-bird alerts to hear when a notable one shows up close to you.