Red-shouldered Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk exhibits a mix of soaring habits akin to its Buteo kin, stretching out its wings and tail, and the agile flight of Accipiters, weaving through forest canopies with rapid flapping and gliding. Daily activities involve patiently perching near watery woodlands, vigilantly scouting for prey. Remarkably adaptable, red-shouldered Hawk shows varying human tolerance, from approachability in suburban settings to skittishness in remote havens. Territorial and combative, red-shouldered Hawk fiercely defends its domain against other raptors and perceived threats. A notable behavior is the male's breathtaking courtship 'sky dance,' a series of commanding aerial displays culminating in a demonstration of aerial prowess and connection with the female.

An eastern population ranges west through southern Canada from southern New Brunswick and Ontario to the eastern edge of the U.S. Great Plains, south to Florida, the Gulf Coast, and eastern Mexico. A western population breeds west of the Sierra Nevada from northern California to northern Baja California, and has recently expanded into Oregon and Arizona, and east of the Sierra Mountains in California. Eastern populations winter from southern Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Ohio and southern New England south to the Gulf Coast, occasionally throughout breeding range.