Minnesota, often called the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," boasts a diverse landscape of forests, prairies, and wetlands, creating ideal habitats for a variety of raptor species. Among these majestic birds of prey, hawks are particularly prominent, with several species commonly observed across the state. Understanding the most common hawk species in Minnesota involves recognizing their unique characteristics, habitats, diets, and behaviors. This article delves into the most frequently encountered hawks in the North Star State, offering insights for both seasoned birdwatchers and curious nature enthusiasts.
The Reigning Monarch: Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Without a doubt, the Red-tailed Hawk stands as Minnesota's most common and recognizable hawk species. This widespread raptor is a familiar sight, often seen perched atop telephone poles, soaring high above open fields, or circling over fragmented woodlands. Its adaptability allows it to thrive in a vast array of habitats, from agricultural lands and urban fringes to dense forests.
Identification: Adult Red-tailed Hawks are easily identified by their distinctive rusty-red tail, a feature that becomes particularly striking in good light. Their underparts are generally pale, often displaying a "belly band" of dark streaking across the lower breast. Upperparts are typically dark brown, and they possess a broad, rounded wing shape ideal for soaring. Juveniles, however, have a tail with narrow brown and white bars instead of the characteristic red. Their call, a long, raspy "kee-eeeee-arr," is so iconic that it's frequently used in movies and television shows to represent a generic raptor, even for species like Bald Eagles!
Habitat and Diet: Red-tailed Hawks are incredibly versatile in their habitat choices, favoring a mix of open country and woodlands. They use tall trees, utility poles, and even building ledges for perching and nesting. Their diet is equally broad, consisting primarily of small to medium-sized mammals such as rodents (voles, mice, gophers, ground squirrels), and rabbits. They also prey on reptiles, amphibians, and other birds. These opportunistic hunters employ a "sit-and-wait" strategy from a high perch or soar overhead, then execute a swift, powerful dive to capture their prey with strong talons.
Breeding and Behavior: Red-tailed Hawks are generally solitary nesters, building large stick nests high in trees, often reusing and improving them year after year. Both parents participate in incubation and raising the young. They are fierce defenders of their nests and territories. While some northern populations may migrate south for the winter, many Red-tailed Hawks in Minnesota are year-round residents or short-distance migrants. Their population in Minnesota and North America is considered secure and has even increased over the past century due to their adaptability to human-altered landscapes.
The Forest Hunter: Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)
Another common hawk in Minnesota, particularly during the breeding season, is the Broad-winged Hawk. This smaller Buteo is a denizen of deciduous and mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, often found near openings and water sources like ponds or wetlands. While more secretive during the breeding season, they become incredibly conspicuous during their spectacular fall migration.
Identification: Broad-winged Hawks are relatively small hawks with broad, rounded wings and a short, banded tail. Adults have reddish-brown barring on their underparts and a tail with prominent black and white bands. Immatures are browner overall with streaking on their underparts. In flight, their wings appear somewhat stiff and choppy compared to the smoother, more graceful flight of other soaring raptors. They are known for their "kettles" – large swirling groups of thousands of hawks that utilize thermals during migration, a breathtaking sight for hawk watchers, especially at locations like Hawk Ridge in Duluth.
Habitat and Diet: As their name suggests, Broad-winged Hawks prefer forested habitats. They build their nests in well-concealed locations within the forest canopy. Their diet primarily consists of amphibians, reptiles, and large insects, but they also consume small mammals and birds. They often hunt from a low perch within the forest, swooping down to snatch unsuspecting prey.
Migration and Conservation: Broad-winged Hawks are strong, long-distance migrants, with most of Minnesota's breeding population heading south to Central and South America for the winter. Their impressive migratory gatherings are a testament to their numbers. While their population is currently stable, they are sensitive to extensive forest loss, highlighting the importance of conserving Minnesota's woodland ecosystems.
The Agile Accipiter: Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Moving from the soaring Buteos to the agile Accipiters, the Cooper's Hawk is a common and increasingly observed species in Minnesota. These "bird hawks" are characterized by their relatively short, rounded wings and long tails, designed for maneuvering through dense foliage while pursuing prey. They are highly adaptable and have even become frequent visitors to suburban and urban areas, often preying on backyard birds.
Identification: Cooper's Hawks are medium-sized hawks, larger than the similar Sharp-shinned Hawk and about crow-sized. Adults have bluish-gray upperparts, warm reddish-orange barring on their underparts, and a long, rounded tail with thick dark bands and a white terminal band. Their head often appears large, and their eyes are typically red. Juveniles are brown above with streaking on their white underparts and yellow eyes. In flight, they exhibit a characteristic "flap-flap-glide" pattern, often flying low to the ground to surprise prey.
Habitat and Diet: Cooper's Hawks historically nested in mature deciduous and mixed forests, but they have readily adapted to human-modified landscapes, including suburban parks, residential areas, and even city centers, especially where there are mature trees for nesting and cover. Their primary diet consists of medium-sized birds, such as robins, jays, and doves, which they pursue with remarkable agility. They also eat small mammals like squirrels and chipmunps.
Nesting and Suburban Life: Cooper's Hawks typically build stick nests high in trees, often in a main crotch or on a large horizontal branch. They are known to return to the same general nesting area year after year, although they usually construct a new nest each season. Their increasing presence in urban and suburban environments has led to more frequent interactions with humans, including their dramatic pursuits of backyard birds. While these can be startling, they are a natural part of the food web.
The Even More Agile Accipiter: Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Often confused with the Cooper's Hawk due to their similar shape and hunting style, the Sharp-shinned Hawk is the smallest of Minnesota's common hawks. Like its larger cousin, it is an expert at navigating dense woodlands in pursuit of its avian prey.
Identification: Sharp-shinned Hawks are noticeably smaller than Cooper's Hawks, closer in size to a Blue Jay. Adults have slate-gray backs, reddish-orange barring on their underparts, and a relatively short, square-tipped tail (though it can sometimes appear slightly notched). Juveniles are brown above with streaking on their underparts. A key identification feature, especially in flight, is their smaller head projection beyond the wings compared to the Cooper's Hawk, making their head appear relatively small.
Habitat and Diet: Sharp-shinned Hawks are primarily birds of dense coniferous and mixed forests, though they can also be found in more open woodlands during migration. Their diet is overwhelmingly composed of small songbirds, which they snatch in mid-air or from dense cover with incredible speed and precision. They are less common in urban areas than Cooper's Hawks but can occasionally be seen at bird feeders, looking for an easy meal.
Migration: Sharp-shinned Hawks are highly migratory, with most individuals leaving Minnesota in the fall to winter in the southern United States, Central America, and even South America. A few may remain in Minnesota during milder winters, particularly around bird feeders. Their migration routes often overlap with those of Broad-winged Hawks, and they can be observed in significant numbers at hawk migration hotspots.
Winter Visitor: Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)
While the previous species are primarily present during the warmer months or year-round, the Rough-legged Hawk is a quintessential winter visitor to Minnesota. These Arctic breeders journey south to escape the harsh conditions of their tundra breeding grounds, seeking out open country where they can hunt.
Identification: Rough-legged Hawks are large Buteos with broad wings and a distinctive flight style. They often hover in place, facing into the wind, as they scan the ground for prey. Their plumage is variable, but common features include a dark belly patch, dark carpal patches (at the "wrist" of the underwing), and a mostly white tail with a broad, dark subterminal band. Their legs are feathered all the way down to their toes, a unique adaptation for cold climates (hence "rough-legged"). There are light and dark morphs, but the light morph is more commonly seen in Minnesota.
Habitat and Diet: In Minnesota, Rough-legged Hawks inhabit open landscapes such as agricultural fields, grasslands, prairies, and marshes. They are highly dependent on rodent populations, particularly voles and mice, which constitute the bulk of their winter diet. They hunt by soaring, hovering, or perching on low vantage points like fence posts or hay bales.
Seasonal Presence: As a winter resident, Rough-legged Hawks arrive in Minnesota in late fall and depart in early spring, following the cycles of their prey and the retreating snow and ice. Their numbers can fluctuate from year to year depending on the availability of food sources in their Arctic breeding grounds.
Less Common, But Still Present: Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) and American Goshawk (Astur atricapillus)
While less common than the species listed above, two other hawk species warrant mention for their presence in Minnesota:
Swainson's Hawk: This Buteo is primarily a raptor of western North American grasslands, with a more localized and sparsely distributed presence in western and southern Minnesota. They prefer open country with scattered trees for nesting. Swainson's Hawks are renowned for their incredibly long-distance migrations, traveling thousands of miles to their wintering grounds in South America. They feed heavily on large insects (especially grasshoppers) and small mammals. Their population in Minnesota has likely declined over the past century due to habitat conversion.
American Goshawk: The largest and most powerful of the North American accipiters, the American Goshawk (formerly a subspecies of the American Goshawk) is a secretive forest dweller found in the middle and northern parts of Minnesota. They are formidable hunters, preying on a wide variety of birds (up to the size of grouse and crows) and mammals (like rabbits and squirrels). Goshawks are known for their aggressive defense of their nests. While not commonly observed due to their elusive nature and preference for dense woodlands, they are a resident species in Minnesota.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Hawks Protected In MN?
Yes, the law recognizes hawks as migratory birds and protects them from sale, possession, importation, or killings.
What Is The Largest Hawk In Minnesota?
The Ferruginous Hawk is the largest you'll see in this state. It is one of North America's largest and most magnificent hawks, often resembling a small eagle. Its name, "ferruginous," refers to the rusty or iron-colored plumage that characterizes many individuals.
Status in Minnesota: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) classifies the Ferruginous Hawk as very rare in the state. While it is occasionally sighted, particularly along the western edge of Minnesota, there are no recorded nesting attempts within the state. This means it's generally considered a rare vagrant or an occasional visitor rather than a regular breeding or wintering species in Minnesota.
What Do Juvenile Hawks Look Like?
Identifying juvenile hawks can be a fun challenge for birdwatchers in Minnesota, as they often look quite different from their adult counterparts. While adults tend to have distinct patterns and colors, juveniles typically have more subdued, browner, and streaky plumages. Their eye color also often changes as they mature.
In this video, you'll learn how to differentiate the adult and juvenile Cooper's Hawk.
Wrapping Up
Observing hawks in their natural environment is a rewarding experience. Whether you're watching a Red-tailed Hawk soar effortlessly on thermals, a Broad-winged Hawk kettle during migration, or a Cooper's Hawk deftly navigate a suburban backyard, these powerful and graceful predators offer a compelling glimpse into the wild heart of Minnesota.
By learning to identify these common species, we can deepen our appreciation for the rich avian diversity that calls the North Star State home. Good luck!
From one extreme to the other. Now you know about hawks, read about the hummers in Minnesota.
Minnesota Hummingbirds: 5 Distinct "Hangtime" Birds To Watch
