10 Types of Hawks in Massachusetts (Pictures and Identification)

Massachusetts is without doubt one of the finest states in New England to identify all kinds of hawks. From forest-dwelling species to open-country hunters, these birds of prey might be discovered hovering throughout the state’s skies all year long. Their presence displays the wealthy variety of habitats—from mountain ridges to coastal plains—that make Massachusetts preferrred for raptors.

Every hawk species has its personal story, habits, and most popular surroundings. Some, just like the Crimson-tailed Hawk, are everlasting residents generally seen alongside highways, whereas others, such because the Broad-winged Hawk, migrate in large flocks throughout spring and fall. Their spectacular flight patterns and sharp searching expertise make them a number of the most admired birds within the area.

On this information, you’ll uncover 10 forms of hawks present in Massachusetts, full with identification particulars, habitat insights, and the very best instances to see them.

Completely different Forms of Hawks Present in Massachusetts

Crimson-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

The Crimson-tailed Hawk is a big and highly effective fowl of prey, measuring about 18 to 26 inches in size with a wingspan that may attain as much as 4 ft. Adults usually weigh between 1.5 and three.5 kilos, with females being noticeably bigger than males. Their plumage varies barely throughout people however typically encompasses a wealthy brown again, pale underparts, and the trademark brick-red tail that offers the species its title. Juveniles might be recognized by their banded brown tails and extra streaked underbellies till they mature in about two years.

By way of identification, Crimson-tailed Hawks are acknowledged by their broad, rounded wings and quick, huge tails, which make them well-adapted for hovering. When gliding, their wings kind a shallow “V” form, they usually usually hover in place whereas scanning the bottom for prey. Their name is a particular, hoarse “kee-eeeer” scream that echoes throughout open landscapes, usually utilized in films to symbolize any raptor’s cry. This sound is without doubt one of the most iconic in North American wildlife, simply distinguishable within the wild.

Behaviorally, Crimson-tailed Hawks are versatile hunters with eager eyesight able to recognizing small animals from over 100 ft within the air. Their eating regimen primarily contains small mammals akin to mice, voles, rabbits, and squirrels, although they often prey on birds and reptiles. They’re usually seen perched alongside highways, utilizing signposts, timber, or energy poles as vantage factors to ambush prey. In the course of the breeding season, they carry out elaborate aerial shows, circling collectively and diving in sweeping patterns as a part of courtship.

Crimson-tailed Hawks are year-round residents in Massachusetts and thrive in all kinds of habitats. They like open areas with scattered timber akin to farmlands, grasslands, and forest edges however have additionally tailored properly to suburban and even city environments. They construct giant stick nests excessive in timber or on cliff ledges, reusing and increasing them every year. Their adaptability and broad eating regimen make them one of the crucial profitable raptors in North America, guaranteeing their fixed presence throughout the Massachusetts panorama.

Crimson-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

The Crimson-shouldered Hawk is a medium-sized raptor, measuring about 17 to 24 inches lengthy with a wingspan between 37 and 43 inches. Adults usually weigh round 1 to 2 kilos, with females once more barely bigger than males. They’re visually placing, that includes wealthy reddish barring on the chest, black-and-white checkered wings, and a tail with a number of slender white bands. When seen in flight, one of the crucial distinctive options is the pale, crescent-shaped “home windows” close to the wingtips, which catch the sunshine and assist with fast identification within the sky.

By way of look and habits, the Crimson-shouldered Hawk stands out from different Buteos resulting from its slender physique and lengthy tail, which support in agile flight via dense forests. Its name—a loud, repeated “kee-aah” scream—usually offers away its presence lengthy earlier than it’s seen, echoing via wooded valleys and river bottoms. They’re identified to be territorial and can vigorously defend their nesting space, particularly throughout breeding season. Throughout courtship, pairs have interaction in spectacular aerial shows, flying excessive in circles and diving sharply collectively earlier than locking talons momentarily.

These hawks primarily hunt small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles, making them frequent predators of frogs, snakes, and area mice. They depend on stealth, usually perching quietly beneath the forest cover earlier than swooping right down to seize their prey with precision. Crimson-shouldered Hawks are opportunistic and also will hunt small birds or bugs when meals is scarce. Their searching model is methodical and affected person, preferring wooded habitats the place they will use cowl to their benefit slightly than open-air hovering.

In Massachusetts, Crimson-shouldered Hawks are thought of partial residents. Populations within the southern and coastal areas usually keep via the winter, whereas northern birds migrate to hotter areas. They favor mature deciduous and combined forests, particularly close to rivers, swamps, or floodplains the place prey is plentiful. Nests are constructed excessive in giant timber, usually manufactured from sticks and lined with inexperienced leaves or bark. With conservation efforts defending forested wetlands, their numbers have been step by step rising throughout Massachusetts, making sightings extra frequent in appropriate habitats.

Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)

The Broad-winged Hawk is a small however sturdy raptor, measuring round 13 to 17 inches in size with a wingspan of about 32 to 39 inches. It usually weighs between 9 and 20 ounces, making it one of many extra compact members of the Buteo household. Adults have wealthy brown upperparts, a pale underbody with horizontal barring on the chest, and a brief, broad tail marked by two or three distinctive white bands. In flight, their broad wings and square-shaped tails make them straightforward to differentiate, particularly when seen circling in teams excessive above forests.

In look and flight, the Broad-winged Hawk is a real grasp of the thermals. In the course of the breeding season, they keep largely hidden inside forest interiors, however in fall, they turn into spectacularly seen as they migrate south in large flocks often known as kettles—generally numbering 1000’s of birds. Their clear, whistled name, sounding like a high-pitched “peee-eee,” can usually be heard echoing via wooded areas throughout spring and early summer season. They’re agile fliers however want quick bursts of pursuit slightly than lengthy aerial chases, relying as an alternative on stealth and endurance.

Their eating regimen consists primarily of small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and bugs. They usually hunt from low perches, expecting motion earlier than diving swiftly to seize prey on the forest ground. Frogs, snakes, and mice make up a good portion of their meals, significantly throughout breeding months once they should feed hungry nestlings. Each mother and father share accountability for elevating the younger, with the feminine incubating eggs and the male offering meals throughout that interval.

In Massachusetts, Broad-winged Hawks are summer season residents, arriving in late April and departing by September. They breed in combined and deciduous forests, usually selecting secluded nesting websites excessive in timber close to water. These hawks are particularly energetic within the Berkshires and central Massachusetts, the place giant tracts of forest stay. Throughout migration, they are often noticed hovering excessive above ridges and mountain lookouts, significantly in September when the southward motion peaks.

Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

The Cooper’s Hawk is a medium-sized raptor, usually measuring 14 to twenty inches in size with a wingspan between 24 and 36 inches. Adults weigh about 11 to 24 ounces, with females noticeably bigger than males. They’re smooth and athletic, that includes an extended, rounded tail with darkish bands, blue-gray upperparts, and a finely barred reddish chest. Their sharp, hooked beak and piercing pink eyes (that are yellow in juveniles) add to their fierce and centered look, signaling their function as skillful fowl hunters.

In flight, Cooper’s Hawks are exceptionally agile, utilizing their quick, broad wings and lengthy tails to weave swiftly via timber. They’re usually confused with Sharp-shinned Hawks, however Cooper’s Hawks seem bulkier with a bigger head that initiatives farther past the wings in flight. Their flight sample alternates between fast wingbeats and quick glides, permitting them to shock prey. Their searching technique entails ambush—swooping down all of the sudden to catch smaller birds, usually close to feeders or wooded clearings.

These hawks are opportunistic predators, feeding totally on songbirds akin to doves, robins, and starlings, although they often hunt small mammals and reptiles. They use stealth and pace slightly than high-altitude hovering, usually hugging the treetops or darting via dense foliage in pursuit of prey. Cooper’s Hawks are identified to go to suburban neighborhoods the place fowl feeders entice their targets, incomes them a popularity because the “yard hawk.” In the course of the breeding season, they assemble stick nests in tall timber and fiercely defend their territory in opposition to intruders.

In Massachusetts, Cooper’s Hawks are year-round residents discovered all through the state. They thrive in combined forests, woodlots, and more and more in city and suburban areas the place they’ve tailored properly to human presence. Their inhabitants has grown steadily over the previous a long time, because of authorized safety and elevated forest cowl. Whether or not in deep woodlands or metropolis parks, Cooper’s Hawks stay an exciting sight for birdwatchers, symbolizing the stability between wilderness and concrete coexistence.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

The Sharp-shinned Hawk is the smallest hawk species in North America, usually measuring 9 to 13 inches in size with a wingspan starting from 17 to 22 inches. Regardless of its small dimension—males weighing round 3 to 4 ounces and females almost twice that—it’s a fierce and environment friendly predator. Adults have blue-gray upperparts, a reddish-orange barred chest, and lengthy, slender legs that make them agile hunters. Juveniles show brown upperparts and streaked underbellies, which assist them mix into forested environments throughout their formative years phases.

These hawks are skilled fliers, geared up with quick, rounded wings and an extended, square-tipped tail that gives outstanding maneuverability via dense woodlands. Their flight sample is fast and erratic, alternating between a number of fast wingbeats and quick glides. The Sharp-shinned Hawk is commonly mistaken for its bigger relative, the Cooper’s Hawk, however might be distinguished by its smaller head, thinner legs, and squared tail. They’re secretive and elusive, usually seen darting via timber or all of the sudden showing close to yard fowl feeders in pursuit of prey.

Feeding totally on small birds akin to sparrows, finches, and warblers, the Sharp-shinned Hawk depends on pace, shock, and canopy. It ambushes its prey from low perches or whereas flying swiftly via wooded areas. Sometimes, it dietary supplements its eating regimen with small mammals or bugs. Throughout migration, these hawks might be noticed in giant numbers, significantly alongside coastal ridges and mountain ranges, the place they benefit from thermal currents to journey lengthy distances.

In Massachusetts, Sharp-shinned Hawks breed primarily within the northern components of the state, favoring coniferous and combined forests. They’re most seen throughout migration in spring and fall, when 1000’s cross via the area. Some people stay via winter, particularly within the southern coastal areas the place meals is extra plentiful. Though they’re shy and sometimes hidden, affected person observers can generally spot them darting via suburban neighborhoods or forest edges in quest of prey.

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)

The Northern Harrier is a medium-sized raptor, measuring about 18 to 22 inches lengthy with a powerful wingspan of 40 to 48 inches. Its slim physique, lengthy tail, and owl-like facial disk give it a novel look amongst hawks. Males, usually known as “Grey Ghosts,” have delicate grey plumage and black wingtips, whereas females and juveniles are brown with streaked underparts. Essentially the most distinctive function of this species is the intense white rump patch seen throughout flight, making identification straightforward even from a distance.

In contrast to most hawks, the Northern Harrier depends closely on each sight and listening to to hunt, aided by its facial disk that channels sound towards its ears. It flies low over grasslands, marshes, and meadows, gliding gracefully simply above the bottom whereas listening and expecting motion. This low, buoyant flight model, mixed with occasional hovering, makes it one of the crucial elegant raptors to watch. When prey akin to voles, mice, small birds, or reptiles is detected, the harrier rapidly swoops down with outstanding precision.

Behaviorally, Northern Harriers are solitary and territorial in the course of the breeding season however could also be seen in small teams throughout migration or winter. They usually perch on fence posts or low shrubs to scan their environment. Males are identified for polygyny, generally pairing with a number of females in a single season. Their nests are constructed on the bottom, hidden in tall grasses or reeds, and lined with plant materials for insulation. Each mother and father take part in elevating the younger, though the feminine handles many of the brooding.

In Massachusetts, Northern Harriers might be noticed year-round, significantly alongside coastal areas and huge inland wetlands. They’re most plentiful throughout winter and migration intervals, with notable populations present in areas like Plum Island, Cape Cod, and the Parker River Nationwide Wildlife Refuge. These open landscapes present preferrred circumstances for his or her searching model. Though their populations have declined resulting from habitat loss, conservation of grasslands and marshes continues to help their presence all through the state.

Tough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)

The Tough-legged Hawk is a big raptor tailored to chilly northern climates, measuring about 18 to 24 inches in size with a wingspan between 47 and 60 inches. It weighs roughly 1.5 to three kilos, with females once more bigger than males. This species will get its title from the feathers that stretch all the best way down its legs—a novel function amongst hawks that helps it keep heat in Arctic circumstances. Tough-legged Hawks happen in each gentle and darkish morphs; gentle morphs show pale underparts with darkish stomach bands and wrist patches, whereas darkish morphs are largely brown with lighter flight feathers.

These hawks are masters of open skies, with broad wings and lengthy tails preferrred for hovering and gliding over flat terrain. They will usually be seen dealing with into the wind, holding their place as they scan the bottom under for prey—a habits hardly ever seen in different Buteos. Their flight is easy and buoyant, with deep wingbeats that make them seem virtually easy within the air. The species can be identified for its delicate, mewing calls, usually heard when defending its territory or interacting with mates.

Tough-legged Hawks primarily feed on small mammals, particularly voles, lemmings, and mice, which kind the majority of their eating regimen throughout winter. They could additionally take small birds or carrion when meals is scarce. They like open habitats akin to tundras, grasslands, and coastal marshes, the place they perch on fence posts or low timber to look at for motion. Their searching technique entails both hovering over open fields or hovering earlier than diving onto unsuspecting prey with highly effective talons.

In Massachusetts, the Tough-legged Hawk is a winter customer, arriving from the Arctic tundra round November and departing by March. They’re generally noticed in open areas like coastal dunes, agricultural lands, and marshes—significantly in Essex County and alongside the North Shore. Their seasonal look provides a particular pleasure for birdwatchers in the course of the colder months. As soon as spring approaches, these hardy hawks migrate north once more to breed within the treeless Arctic, the place they increase their younger underneath the countless daylight of summer season.

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)

The Northern Goshawk is a big and formidable forest hawk, measuring between 20 and 26 inches in size with a wingspan of 40 to 46 inches. It’s the largest member of the Accipiter genus, noticeably larger than each the Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks. Adults show slate-gray upperparts, a finely barred gray-and-white chest, and placing pink eyes that intensify with age. Their broad wings and lengthy tail are completely tailored for agile maneuvering via dense timber, permitting them to chase prey with unimaginable precision. Juveniles might be acknowledged by their brown upperparts and closely streaked underbellies.

This species is thought for its secretive and aggressive habits, significantly in the course of the breeding season when it defends its nesting territory with fierce willpower. The Northern Goshawk’s highly effective construct and lengthy tail allow it to speed up quickly and twist via tight areas, pursuing prey in wooded environments. Its flight is quick and direct, with deep wingbeats adopted by quick glides. Its name is a pointy, repeated “kak-kak-kak,” which regularly echoes via distant forests, particularly throughout nesting season.

As a predator, the Northern Goshawk has a various eating regimen that features squirrels, crows, pigeons, rabbits, and grouse. It hunts primarily abruptly, utilizing the forest cover as cowl earlier than launching swift assaults. In contrast to hovering hawks that patrol open skies, the goshawk depends on stealth and pace inside thick woodland habitats. Its energy permits it to take down prey bigger than itself, and it usually caches extra meals close to the nest throughout breeding season to make sure a gradual meals provide for its younger.

In Massachusetts, Northern Goshawks are thought of uncommon and elusive residents. They like giant tracts of mature forest, significantly within the western and central components of the state such because the Berkshire Hills. Though sightings are rare, these raptors might be discovered year-round, nesting in secluded coniferous forests. Their inhabitants has declined in some areas resulting from habitat loss and human disturbance, however conservation of old-growth forests stays key to supporting this magnificent woodland hunter.

Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)

The Swainson’s Hawk is a medium-to-large raptor measuring about 19 to 22 inches in size, with a wingspan of 46 to 54 inches. This species is acknowledged by its lengthy, pointed wings and distinct plumage sample: adults usually have a darkish chest and a contrasting pale stomach, with a grayish-brown again and reddish shoulders. In flight, their wings present darkish flight feathers that create a two-toned look. These options, mixed with their slim our bodies and lengthy tails, make them environment friendly long-distance migrants able to overlaying 1000’s of miles.

This hawk is primarily a fowl of the western grasslands however often seems in Massachusetts as a uncommon customer throughout migration. Its flight is buoyant and swish, usually seen circling excessive in thermals throughout its transcontinental journey to and from South America. Swainson’s Hawks migrate in large flocks often known as kettles, generally numbering within the 1000’s, making their motion one of the crucial spectacular migrations of any raptor species. In Massachusetts, nonetheless, they’re seen solely sporadically, usually as remoted people which have strayed from their common routes.

Swainson’s Hawks are opportunistic feeders whose eating regimen adjustments with the seasons. In the course of the breeding season, they primarily hunt small mammals akin to floor squirrels and rabbits, however throughout migration, they change virtually fully to bugs, particularly grasshoppers and dragonflies. They usually observe agricultural exercise, hovering over plowed fields the place bugs are plentiful. This dietary flexibility is essential to their survival over huge migration distances, spanning from the western United States to the pampas of Argentina.

Sightings of Swainson’s Hawks in Massachusetts are uncommon and usually happen in open habitats akin to coastal plains, farmlands, and grasslands in the course of the fall migration interval. These appearances are thought of unintended, because the species’ regular vary lies far to the west. Birdwatchers fortunate sufficient to identify one normally discover them gliding over open nation in quest of bugs. Their occasional presence provides a contact of the western plains to the skies of New England, providing a particular deal with for devoted raptor lovers.

Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)

The Ferruginous Hawk is the biggest hawk in North America, measuring 22 to 27 inches lengthy with a powerful wingspan of 53 to 56 inches. It weighs between 2 and 4 kilos, making it almost the dimensions of a small eagle. Its title comes from its rusty, “ferruginous” coloring on the legs, again, and shoulders. Mild-morph people have pale underparts and rufous markings throughout the wings, whereas darkish morphs are largely chocolate brown with lighter flight feathers. Their giant heads, broad wings, and feathered legs distinguish them from different Buteo species.

In flight, Ferruginous Hawks are highly effective and chic, hovering with barely raised wings in huge circles over open nation. They like huge, treeless landscapes and are identified for his or her calm, regular flight. When perched, they are often recognized by their lengthy, feather-covered legs—a function they share with the Tough-legged Hawk. Their name is a low, rasping sound, usually heard when they’re disturbed or close to the nest. Regardless of their dimension, they’re light and non-aggressive in comparison with different giant raptors.

These hawks are primarily hunters of small mammals akin to rabbits, prairie canines, and floor squirrels. They depend on eager eyesight and open terrain to identify motion from excessive above. In contrast to woodland hawks, Ferruginous Hawks hardly ever hunt in flight; as an alternative, they usually perch on the bottom or low mounds earlier than launching a fast strike. Throughout migration or in winter, they could additionally scavenge carrion or hunt birds when mandatory. Their nesting websites are usually on cliffs, timber, and even on the bottom in open areas, utilizing giant stick nests reused and expanded every year.

The Ferruginous Hawk is a particularly uncommon customer to Massachusetts, thought of an unintended species that seems solely throughout uncommon climate patterns or migratory disruptions. It’s native to the open plains and deserts of the western United States and Canada, removed from New England’s forests. When it does happen in Massachusetts, sightings are normally alongside coastal plains or agricultural fields, particularly after robust storm techniques push western migrants eastward. Recognizing one is a outstanding occasion for birders—a reminder of the unimaginable distances and unpredictability of raptor migration.

Finest Time to See Hawks in Massachusetts

The perfect time to see hawks in Massachusetts is throughout their migration seasons, significantly in spring (April–Could) and fall (September–October), when 1000’s of raptors journey via the state’s skies. Throughout these months, each resident and migratory species benefit from thermal air currents to soar lengthy distances with minimal effort. In spring, hawks transfer northward to their breeding territories throughout New England and Canada, whereas in fall they head south towards hotter climates within the southern U.S., Central America, and even South America. This biannual spectacle, often known as a “hawk migration,” is without doubt one of the most breathtaking pure occasions for birdwatchers within the area.

Throughout spring migration, observers can witness species such because the Broad-winged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Crimson-tailed Hawk, and Osprey touring north in small teams or solitary flight. These actions are usually extra dispersed, with fewer giant flocks, as hawks observe favorable winds and thermal patterns. Early mornings on clear, sunny days following an evening of southerly winds are sometimes preferrred circumstances for recognizing raptors using thermals upward earlier than gliding northward. In Massachusetts, the primary vital wave of hawk motion normally begins in early April and peaks round late Could.

The autumn migration is much more dramatic and concentrated, attracting birdwatchers from throughout New England. From mid-September via late October, 1000’s of hawks—particularly Broad-winged Hawks—collect into swirling flocks often known as “kettles”, generally numbering within the lots of and even 1000’s. These kettles kind as hawks benefit from heat updrafts rising from the land, serving to them preserve power throughout their lengthy southward journey. Peak migration for Broad-winged Hawks usually happens between September tenth and twenty fifth, however different species akin to Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, and Northern Harriers proceed transferring via into late October.

Massachusetts gives a number of prime hawk-watching areas the place each rookies and skilled birders can take pleasure in this spectacle. Mount Tom State Reservation in Holyoke and Wachusett Mountain State Reservation in Princeton are two of essentially the most well-known inland websites, offering elevated vantage factors that overlook main raptor flyways. Alongside the coast, Plum Island and the Parker River Nationwide Wildlife Refuge are wonderful for recognizing migrating hawks, falcons, and eagles as they observe the shoreline. Different notable spots embrace Mount Watatic in Ashburnham and Blue Hills Reservation close to Boston, each identified for dependable sightings and skilled native birding communities.

FAQs About Hawks in Massachusetts

Are hawks protected in Massachusetts?

Sure. All hawks are protected underneath the Migratory Fowl Treaty Act, making it unlawful to hurt, seize, or disturb them or their nests.

The place can I see hawks in Massachusetts?

You’ll find hawks in a wide range of habitats, from coastal marshes and forests to farmlands and suburbs. High birding areas embrace Cape Cod Nationwide Seashore, Blue Hills Reservation, and Mount Wachusett.

Do hawks migrate out of Massachusetts?

Some species, just like the Broad-winged and Tough-legged Hawks, are migratory, whereas others—akin to Crimson-tailed and Cooper’s Hawks—keep year-round.