Photo: ADJ82 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) — Birds of Prey of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 604 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Buteo
- Species lineatus
Where it lives
Southeastern, central, also northwestern, southeastern Mexico
Quick facts
- Weight
- 604 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-shouldered Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense woodland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Red-shouldered Hawk is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA se, c, also nw, se Mexico.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 604 g, with a wing length of about 31.9 cm and a tail of around 17.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-shouldered Hawk?
The Red-shouldered Hawk is a large bird that weighs around 604 g.
Where does the Red-shouldered Hawk live?
The Red-shouldered Hawk is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA se, c, also nw, se Mexico, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-shouldered Hawk belong to?
The Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Red-shouldered Hawk eat?
The Red-shouldered Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Red-shouldered Hawk migrate?
The Red-shouldered Hawk is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Red-shouldered Hawk endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-shouldered Hawk make?
1 real field recording of the Red-shouldered Hawk — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-shouldered Hawk's range?
The Red-shouldered Hawk has a mapped global range of about 3.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Red-tailed Hawk vs Red-shouldered Hawk: How to Tell Them Apart
How to tell a Red-tailed Hawk from a Red-shouldered Hawk — size, range, family and status compared side by side, with links to each bird’s full ID guide.
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.