Red-tailed hawks and red-shouldered hawks are two similar-looking birds of prey found in North America. While both are stocky, medium-sized hawks with reddish markings, there are some key differences that allow keen birders to distinguish these two species in the field. Knowing what to look for when it comes to size, shape, flight pattern, coloration, and habitat can clue you in to which hawk you’re observing.
Size Difference
One of the most noticeable ways to tell a red-tailed hawk apart from a red-shouldered hawk is by size. Red-tailed hawks are significantly larger with a wingspan around 4.5 feet, compared to a wingspan of 3 to 3.5 feet for red-shouldered hawks. When seen flying overhead, the wider wings of a red-tail are an obvious giveaway.
Red-tailed hawks also have a chunkier, broader-chested profile. Their robust, muscular bodies give them a stockier shape compared to the more slender and elongate build of red-shouldered hawks. The size difference is apparent even when perched. A red-tailed will look more substantial and heavy-duty on its perch compared to a neatly smaller red-shouldered.
Average Dimensions
Species | Length | Wingspan |
---|---|---|
Red-tailed hawk | 19-25 inches | 49-57 inches |
Red-shouldered hawk | 17-21 inches | 37-42 inches |
As the table shows, red-tailed hawks average around two feet in length and have wingspans over four feet, making them noticeably larger in every dimension compared to red-shouldered hawks. This size difference is often the easiest way to ID these two species.
Shape and Proportions
In addition to their larger size, red-tailed hawks have different proportions compared to red-shouldered hawks. When seen flying overhead, red-tailed hawks have longer, broader wings and a shorter tail, giving them a wide-winged appearance. Red-shouldered hawks look distinctly longer-tailed and more slender-winged.
When perched, the bulky body shape of red-tails stands out from the leaner profile of red-shouldereds. Red-tailed hawks appear broader-chested and look very robust, while red-shouldereds seem more elongated. The smaller head of the red-tailed hawk can appear almost too small for its large, blocky body.
Head shape is another clue: red-tailed hawks have a characteristic rounded head, while red-shouldered hawks have a flatter crown. The blocky body shape and rounded head makes a perched red-tail easy to identify.
Flight Patterns
The flight style of these two hawks also differs in ways that help an observer distinguish them. Red-tailed hawks are steadier and more direct in flight. They soar with flat wings, but when flapping, their wingbeats are steady and powerful. In contrast, the flight of red-shouldered hawks seems lighter, with quicker flaps that create a buoyant flight style overall.
Another key difference is that red-tailed hawks frequently hover-hunt, remaining still in mid-air while scanning prey below. Hovering is used only rarely by red-shouldered hawks. If you see a hawk stationary in flight, it’s almost certainly going to be a red-tailed hawk. The steady, powerful wingbeats and frequent hovering makes the red-tail’s flight pattern stand apart from the red-shouldered hawk.
Color Patterns
While both species sport reddish-brown upper parts, their color patterns also show some telling differences. Red-tailed hawk adults have a dark brown band across the belly, contrasting with a paler chest and dark patagial bars (bars on the front edge of the underwing). Light morph red-shouldered adults lack any dark belly band and their underwings show neat rows of dark stripes.
The rufous (reddish-brown) colors of red-tailed hawks also tend to be richer, warmer, and more vibrant compared to the duller brick-red hues of red-shouldereds. The red-tail’s namesake red tail is usually a distinctive rusty orange-red, compared to the pinkish washed-out tail of the red-shouldered.
The pale crescent at the base of the throat is more crisp and noticeable on red-shouldereds. On red-tails, this pale area tends to be fainter. When it comes to color patterns, the key things to note are the red-tail’s deep rufous hues, dark belly band, faint throat crescent, and contrasting underwing pattern.
Species | Color Notes |
---|---|
Red-tailed hawk | – Deep rich rufous colors – Dark belly band – Faint throat crescent – Contrasting patagial bars |
Red-shouldered hawk | – Dull brick red hues – No belly band – Crisp pale throat crescent – Finely streaked underwings |
Habitat Preference
Finally, habitat clues can help distinguish these two raptors. While ranges overlap, red-tailed hawks prefer open habitats like fields, pastures, and prairies. Red-shouldered hawks associate more with wetlands, river bottoms, and forest edges. If you spot a hawk soaring over an open meadow or grassland, chances are good it’s a red-tail. A hawk dashing through dense woods is more likely to be a red-shouldered. Knowing the basic habitat associations of each species can offer additional context when making an ID.
ID Tips Summary
To quickly summarize ID tips:
– Size: Red-tailed hawks are distinctly larger in length, wingspan, and bulk
– Shape: Red-tailed hawks have proportionally broader wings and chests, creating a stocky profile compared to the more slender and elongated red-shouldered hawk.
– Flight style: Red-tailed hawks fly steadily with powerful wingbeats, frequently hovering. Red-shouldereds have more buoyant, lighter flaps.
– Colors: Red-tailed hawks are a deeper rufous, with a dark belly band, faint throat crescent, and contrasting patagial bars.
– Habitat: Red-tailed hawks favor open areas, while red-shouldereds are more likely near wetlands and dense woods.
Using size, shape, flight habits, coloration, and habitat together makes differentiating these two confusingly similar hawks much easier. With practice, birders can learn to pick out the distinctions almost instantly.
Conclusion
Telling a red-tailed hawk apart from a red-shouldered hawk becomes simpler once you know what traits to pay attention to. Size, proportions, flight patterns, coloration details, and habitat preferences all offer clues that allow you to distinguish these often confusingly similar raptors. Looking at the full picture by noting size alongside shape, behavior, and other field marks lets you confidently identify which species you’re observing. With experience, subtle differences stand out that immediately separate the wide-winged, blocky, open country-loving red-tailed hawk from the more slender, quick-flapping, forest edge-dwelling red-shouldered hawk.