Wildlife Around Las Vegas, Birds, Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

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Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Birds Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas

Red-shouldered Hawk adult

General Description: Red-shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus) are small forest hawks with a banded tail and short, broad wings. Red-shouldered Hawks could be confused with a Cooper's Hawk, but note the narrow white bands on the relatively short tail. Note the red wing linings and translucent crescent towards the tips of the primaries.

Adults have a red, barred front, while young birds have vertical streaking on the front

Taxonomy: Accipitriformes, Accipitridae.

Red-shouldered Hawk juvenile

Favored Habitat: Forested areas near water.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, Red-shouldered Hawks are uncommon, but look for them in places with trees and water, such as the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge and Pahranagat Valley north of there or Willow Creek golf course in Pahrump. They migrate through the Las Vegas area, so always keep an eye out for them. These hawks are fairly common in California.

Comments:

If you were a tasty mouse or even a big earthworm, this might be the last face you ever see!

Red-shouldered Hawk adult	Red-shouldered Hawk: notice the red shoulder patch
Red-shouldered Hawk; Everglades, Florida	Red-shouldered Hawk juvenile, Dunedin, Florida
Red-shouldered Hawk; Everglades, Florida	Red-shouldered Hawk eating apple snail; Everglades, Florida
Red-shouldered Hawk with apple snail; Everglades, Florida	Red-shouldered Hawk: notice the red shoulder patch
In flight; note the red wing linings and translucent "windows"	Red-shouldered Hawk in flight: note the black tail with white bands

Red-shouldered Hawk juvenile	Red-shouldered Hawk juvenile
Red-shouldered Hawk in a rehab facility; Dunedin, Florida	Red-shouldered Hawk in a rehab facility; Dunedin, Florida
Red-shouldered Hawk nest in California Sycamore tree	Red-shouldered Hawk nest in California Sycamore tree
Red-shouldered Hawk at Ash Meadows NWR	A pair of Red-shouldered Hawks

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.

; Last updated 240108

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