Five different kinds of Hawks

By Al Lowe Contributor Buteos are our largest hawks. There are five of these birds in Canada, but only three of them would normally be seen here in the Northwest. They are typically large birds, and stocky ones, too. They have wide, rounded wings, and tails which are rounded at the ends (not squared off). When looking for food, they usually soar high in the sky in big, lazy circles. Two of these species make their homes here, and another can be seen during migration. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). This is a big hawk, and the one you are most likely to see. A heavy looking bird, more than two feet long, it has a wingspan of well over four feet. The upper parts are dark brown, with marks of grey and some reddish feathers. Its underparts are whitish with some blotchy streaks across the middle. But the clear distinguishing mark is the tail - chestnut red - but only on the top. The tail has a narrow black band, and a narrow white one right at the very end. This is the only large hawk which is marked in this way. The Red-tail is much too slow a flier to be able to overtake birds in flight although it may take grouse or other birds on the ground. It lives mainly on small mammals, mice, rabbits, etc. and frogs, toads and large insects. Its voice is not very impressive - a sort of a rasping squeal. The nest is built in a tree, usually quite far up. It is a bulky structure of sticks, often lined with grass or bark. It is used over and over again. This hawk breeds all across Canada and well down into the States. Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus). Smaller than the Red-tail, this one is about the size of a small crow. The wings, back and top of the head are brown. Upper breast is quite red, changing to red and white barring on the belly. If you see this hawk overhead, the tail is a pretty good trademark. In adults, it is quite clearly marked, black and white. In young birds, the bands are not clear, but can still be seen fairly well. Its call is a sort of sad sounding “whee-ee-ee”. Its food is mainly made up of small rodents and big insects, and it is especially fond of mice and voles. It breeds all across southern Canada, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo legopus) It breeds far to the north of us. The coast of Hudson Bay is about as far south as it comes, but it winters car to the south of us (California to Virginia). As with most of these hawks, there are several colour phases to confuse you. The light phase is brown above, heavily streaked or blotched below. Its tail is just about white, with a thick black band at the end. The dark phase is almost fully dark brown. Well, those are our three ‘Buteos’. They form a substantial part of the great hawk migration which rates so much attention in the fall near Duluth. Many thousands of hawks pass through that area, drawing birders from all over the continent. Remember that hawks are some of the most beneficial birds we have. They keep an awful lot of those pesky little ‘critters’ in check.