A hawk is a bird of prey in the Accipitridae family, which includes buzzards, eagles, harriers and kites. Most hawks are part of the genera Accipiter or Buteo, but some buzzards, harriers and kites — and even some falcons — are called hawks, which can make things confusing.
Bird Hawks
Bird hawks, also known as “true” hawks, are birds in the genus Accipiter, including Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii) and sharp-shinned hawks (Accipiter striatus). There are about 50 species of bird hawks, so named because they eat other birds. They also eat small mammals.
Bird hawks have rounded wings and long tails, which makes them easy to distinguish from falcons, which have pointed wings.
Bird hawks are the largest member of the Accipitridae family. They can be as large as the northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), with a 2-foot-long (60-centimeter-long) body, and as as small as a sparrowhawk (Accipiter minullus), which has a body length of 7.9 inches (20 centimeters).
Buzzard Hawks
Buzzard hawks, also known as buteos, belong to the genus Buteo. They include the red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), the ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis), red-shouldered hawks (Buteo lineatus) and the broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus).
When you think “hawk,” the red-tailed hawk might be what comes to mind. The red-tailed hawk is the most prevalent hawk species in North America.
How Do Hawks Hunt?
Hawks have excellent eyesight, which helps them spot their prey from a distance.
Red-tailed hawks tend to “‘Hover-hunt’ by flapping in place over potential prey, and by swooping down to grab a meal with their sharp talons,” Scott Barnes, All Things Birds program director and assistant director of eco-travel for New Jersey Audubon, told HowStuffWorks.
“Or,” Barnes continues, “they ‘perch hunt,’ which is exactly like it sounds — sitting on a perch (sometimes a telephone pole) and watching below for prey. Once an item is spotted, the hawk drops off its perch and tries to grab a meal.”
Where Do Hawks Live?
You can find hawks on every continent, with the exception of Antarctica. Hawks prefer open spaces with a few high perches, like cliff ledges or tall trees.
