Utah ’s wide - ranging landscapes , from parched desert canyon to lush alpine forests , put up excellent habitat that keep going a ample diverseness of mortarboard species . These powerful raptors are often seen glide over unresolved W. C. Fields , perched on fence situation , or circling in high spirits above heap ridge . Observinghawks in Utahcan be an exciting and educational experience for anyone interested in wench of prey .
There are over a 12 metal money ofhawks in Utah , each with its own unparalleled characteristics , demeanour , and preferred habitat . Some are year - cycle residents , while others pass through during migration seasons . From the common Red - tailed Hawk to the elusive Zone - track Hawk , the diversity feel across the state puddle Utah a rich area for raptorial bird identification .
This clause introduces 12 different types ofhawks in Utah , gross with pictures and identification tips . By understanding their scoring , sizes , and wont , you ’ll be well equipped to recognize these incredible bird throughout Utah ’s wide-ranging landscapes .
Different Types of Hawks Found in Utah
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
The Sharp - shinned Hawk is the smallest war hawk in North America , sleep with for its short , rounded wing and recollective , narrow tail end with square - off nook . adult have juicy - gray upperparts , reddish - orange barring on the chest , and a pale underside . juvenile person are browned with vertical streak on a whitish belly . These hawk typically measure out 9 to 13 column inch in duration with a wingspan of around 17 to 22 inches , and female person are importantly large than males .
This hawk is a fast , agile flyer that specialize in catching small birds in flight , often lurk them in dense forest or backyard eater . In Utah , Sharp - shinned Hawks are most often hear during leap and fall migration , especially in mountainous country and wooded canyons . They prefer coniferous and mixed forests for breeding but will also move around through open country while migrating .
Their dieting in the main consists of songbird , such as dunnock , warbler , and finch , which they catch using stealth and focal ratio . A fun fact about Sharp - struggle Hawks is their unbelievable fly agility — they can operate through deep subdivision at high speed in pursuit of prey , defecate them one of the most gymnastic hunters in the raptor man .
Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Cooper ’s Hawk is a medium - sizedbird of preywith a classical accipiter form — blanket , rounded wings and a long buttocks rounded at the hint . Adults have a steely dark - hoar back , a reddish - barred breast , and grim cap on their heads . Juveniles are brown with streaky underparts . They typically measure 14 to 20 inches in distance and have a wingspan ranging from 24 to 35 inch , with female being about a third big than male .
Commonly found in Utah year - round , Cooper ’s Hawks are well adapted to both wild and urban environs . They spawn in mature forests , specially near H2O , but are increasingly institute in suburbs , where they prey on songbird at Bronx cheer feeders . These hawks use surprisal attack , flying low and weaving through tree to bushwhack their prey .
Their diet primarily include average - sized birds like doves , starling , and Turdus migratorius , along with small mammals such as squirrels and chipmunks . A fun fact is that Cooper ’s Hawks were once called “ chicken hawks ” for their occasional habit of raid poultry yards , although this deportment is relatively rare today .
American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus)
The American Goshawk is the large of the North American accipiters and is mark by its broad wings , long tail , and muscular figure . Adults are slate gray above with a scant gray , fine bar underside and a striking snowy supercilium that contrasts with their dark head . juvenile are browned with sheer streaks below . These hawks can develop up to 26 inch long with a wingspan of 40 to 46 inches .
In Utah , Northern Goshawks inhabit coniferous and mixed wood , particularly at high elevations in the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains . They are close and seldom ascertain except during nesting time of year , when they fiercely defend their soil . Goshawks are quick hunters that bank on surprisal and strength to catch birds and mammals in dumb forests .
Their dieting includes grouse , jays , snowshoe hares , and squirrels . A fascinating fact about the Goshawk is its fierce report — it is known for aggressively round intruder near its nest , including humans , earning it the nickname “ the champion jet of the timberland . ”
Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
Swainson ’s Hawk is a slim genus Buteo with long wings and a short tail , easily recognized by its brown bureau , clean belly , and dark flight of stairs feather . Adult birds have a distinctive two - tone show in flight , with dark underwing contrasting the pallid physical structure . These hawks quantity between 18 to 22 inches in length and have a wingspan of about 48 inch .
This species is a summer occupier in Utah , nesting in open areas such as grassland , shrublands , and agrarian airfield . uncouth in the Great Basin and westerly valleys , Swainson ’s Hawks arrive in late spring and depart by other crepuscle . They prefer nesting in isolated Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or utility poles and are often seen soaring or perch on fenceposts and wires .
Their dieting shifts with the seasons : they in the main hunt down small mammals like voles and ground squirrel during the facts of life time of year but rely heavily on insects such as grasshoppers and mosquito hawk during migration . A fun fact is that Swainson ’s Hawks attempt one of the foresightful migration of any North American raptorial bird — traveling over 6,000 miles to Argentina each twelvemonth .
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
The Red - tailed Hawk is the most widespread and commonly run across mortarboard in Utah , well recognized by its rich , reddish - brown hindquarters in adult . These large war hawk have a bulky eubstance , broad wings , and a wan bottom with a colored belly band . Plumage can vary importantly , with some individual appearing almost all dark ( melanistic morphs ) , but most have a warm brown back and streak chest . They typically measure 18 to 26 in in length with a wingspan of up to 52 inch .
This species flourish in various home ground , including deserts , grassland , wood , and urban areas throughout Utah . It can be spotted twelvemonth - round perch on telephone set poles , fenceposts , or soaring overhead in wide-cut circles . Red - give chase Hawks often use high rod to surveil for prey and are particularly vocal , giving a signature tune raspy scream often used in movies to represent any wench of prey .
Their dieting mainly consists of humble to intermediate - sized mammals , such as cony , squirrels , and field mouse , but they will also trace wench and reptile . A fun fact about the Red - give chase Hawk is that it forms solid pair bonds and often reuse the same nest for years , add raw sticks each time of year to reinforce their declamatory platform nest .
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)
The Rough - legged Hawk is a with child , long - winged raptor that visits Utah in the wintertime months , peculiarly in the northern region and open valleys . It is appoint for the feather that extend down its leg , a unique version among North American hawks for live inhuman mood . Adults show striking plume patterns with pallid heads , drear belly patches , and classifiable fatal “ radiocarpal joint patches ” on the underwings . Their size drift from 18 to 24 inches farsighted with a wingspread of about 52 inches .
These hawk breed in the Arctic tundra but migrate to the south to winter in assailable country like Utah ’s expectant Salt Lake Basin and Cache Valley . They favor flat terrain where they can hover over landing field in search of prey , a behaviour uncommon among most other buteos . rasping - legged Hawks are relatively docile and often perch on low posts or fence lines near wayside .
Their diet consists mainly of small-scale mammals , peculiarly field mouse and mouse , which they notice from great distance . A fun fact is that the Rough - legged Hawk is one of the few hawks capable of hovering in place like a kestrel — using the wind to remain stationary while hunting in open force field .
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
The Ferruginous Hawk is the largesthawk in North Americaand a twelvemonth - rung resident of Utah ’s open land . It is named for its rust - colorize ( ferruginous ) back and legs , though its colouration can depart between light and dark morphs . Light morphs have white-hot underpart and a reddish back and shoulders , while dark morphs appear chocolate John Brown all over . These telling raptors measure 22 to 27 inches long and have wingspans up to 56 inch .
This species inhabits prairie , deserts , and shrublands in Utah , preferring areas with piddling Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree cover . They cuddle on the ground , on cliffs , or on bombastic program build on isolated trees or power poles . Ferruginous Hawks are less common than Red - tailed Hawks but can be found in areas such as Utah ’s West Desert , the Uinta Basin , and part of central Utah .
Their diet is heavily focussed on small mammals , especially prairie hound , ground squirrels , and jackrabbit . A fun fact is that Ferruginous Hawks sometimes hunt in pairs — one Bronx cheer hot flash prey while the other waits to strickle , showcasing a degree of cooperation rarely seen in hawks .
Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus)
The Zone - tailed Hawk is a medium - sized bird of prey with striking disastrous plume and white bands ( or “ zones ” ) across its tail , which gives the metal money its name . In flight , it resemble a Turkey Vulture with long wings held in a dihedral and a slightly shake move , but it can be identified by its broad lily-white backside bands and feathered legs . Adults valuate about 18 to 22 column inch in length with a wingspan of around 48 to 56 in .
In Utah , this war hawk is a rarified stock breeder , typically found in the southern part of the state , specially in canyonlands and defect riparian zones . They prefer rugged terrain with open woodlands or rough canyon , often nest near current or cliffs . Zone - go after Hawks are elusive and often overlooked due to their vulture - like flight pattern , which helps them stealthily draw near prey .
Their diet includes small mammal , reptiles , birds , and amphibian . A fascinating fact is that zona - tailed Hawks mimic the flight of Turkey Vultures to slip up on unsuspicious prey , blending into deal of vultures to dissemble their identity as a predator .
Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus)
The Common Black Hawk is a broad - winged raptor with mostly black plumage , a short hindquarters mark by a undivided wide white band , and yellowed stage and cere . It is stocky and medium - sized , measuring about 19 to 21 in in length with a wingspread around 50 inches . Its full-bodied build and dumb , deliberate wingbeats give it a unequalled flight style compared to other hawks .
In Utah , this species is a rarefied and local breeder , mainly restricted to the Virgin River system in the southwesterly corner of the state . It relies heavily on riparian habitats with mature cottonwoods and great maple near permanent water source . Nesting land site are normally in tall trees penny-pinching to watercourse where nutrient is abundant .
Its dieting mainly include aquatic and semi - aquatic animals such as fish , batrachian , crayfish , and Hydra . A fun fact is that Common Black Hawks are territorial and often recycle the same nest for many year , building huge stick platforms high in large trees near water .
Gray Hawk (Buteo plagiatus)
The Gray Hawk is a diminished buteo with finely barred gray plumage , a white undertail with panoptic blackbands , and a slender build . Adults are wan gray overall with darker banish on the chest and belly , while juvenile are brown with streaky underparts . They measure around 16 to 24 inches longsighted and have a wingspan of roughly 35 to 40 inches .
In Utah , Gray Hawks are take passing rare , occasionally meet in the far southerly regions during migration or as vagrants . They typically inhabit riparian timber in the desert Southwest , specially area with Tilia heterophylla and mesquite near water . This metal money is more ordinarily obtain in southerly Arizona and New Mexico but may now and then tramp into Utah ’s suitable habitat .
Their diet lie in mainly of lizards , little mammal , and large insects . A alone fact is that Gray Hawks often trace from a low perch , plunk quickly to the earth to catch prey , and their whistling call is a common sound in their preferred riparian timberland scope .
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
The Red - shoulder Hawk is a average - sized war hawk known for its striking cherry-red - brown shoulders , grim - and - white checkered wings , and strongly band buttocks . adult display a warm rufous coloration on the thorax , while juveniles are more brown and streaky . These hawks typically quantify 17 to 24 inches in length with a wingspan of about 37 to 43 inches .
In Utah , the Red - shouldered Hawk is considered a rare visitant , in the first place blob during migration or as an periodic vagrant . Their usual range includes the easterly and coastal regions of the U.S. , but small populations have been tardily expanding westward . If found in Utah , they are most potential to be seen in wooded wetland , bottom forest , or riparian corridor .
They feed on amphibians , reptilian , lowly mammalian , and insect , often hunting from a rod and swoop down to seize prey . A fun fact is that their loud , repetitious call — often described as a whistled “ kee - aah”—is one of the most classifiable hawk vocalization and oft used in film soundtrack to represent birds of prey .
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)
The Broad - winged Hawk is a small , compact buteo with broad wing , a brusque tail with distinct black and white bands , and a pale bottom with subtle barring . grownup are broadly speaking dark-brown above with a light chest and blanched belly . These war hawk stray in size from 13 to 17 inches in length , with a wingspread of about 32 to 39 inches .
In Utah , the Broad - fly Hawk is a rarefied and in the first place migratory visitor , most likely catch during spring and declivity migration . It is not a steady breeder in the state but may come about through forested areas and mountain ridges while on its tenacious - distance journey . Look for them in areas with dull deciduous forest during migration peaks .
Their diet consists of little vertebrates , admit frogs , rodents , insects , and birds , and they typically hunt from perches within forests . A remarkable fact about the Broad - winged Hawk is its participation in massive migrant flocks call “ kettles , ” where hundreds or even thou of birds hang glide together on thermal during migration , make a spectacular aerial display .
