Red-tailed Hawk vs Swainson’s Hawk: How to Tell Them Apart

The Red-tailed Hawk and the Swainson’s Hawk are easy to mix up. Here is how the two compare across every fact we track — size, range, family and status.

Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis

VS

Swainson’s HawkButeo swainsoni

See the Red-tailed Hawk → See the Swainson’s Hawk →

Key differences at a glance

• Size: the Red-tailed Hawk is heavier (1.1 kg) than the Swainson’s Hawk (947 g).
• Family: close cousins — both are Accipitridae and share the genus Buteo.
• Range: both range across Central America & Caribbean and North America, so it won’t help you tell them apart.
• Habitat: the Red-tailed Hawk favours woodland; the Swainson’s Hawk, grassland & open country.

Side by side

How to tell the Red-tailed Hawk from the Swainson’s Hawk

The Red-tailed Hawk is the bigger, heavier bird. Range: both range across Central America & Caribbean and North America, so it won’t help you tell them apart. Beyond the numbers, plumage and call are the clinchers — compare them on each profile below.

For plumage, calls and the finer field marks, open each bird’s full profile — every one has photos, sounds and ID notes.

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Figures are the data we hold for each species (body weight, size class, family, range and conservation status); they describe typical individuals and can vary. Plumage and voice details live on each bird’s profile.