Red-shouldered Hawk

A Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a medium-sized hawk native to North America. It is known for its distinctive reddish-orange barred breast and the reddish-brown patches on its shoulders.

The Red-shouldered Hawk has a slender body with broad wings and a tail that is banded with black and white. Its most recognizable feature is its rusty or reddish-brown barring on the chest and a reddish patch on the shoulders, which is more visible when the bird is perched. They have a dark brown back and a sharp, hooked beak. Females are slightly larger than males.

Red-shouldered Hawks are typically found in deciduous forests near water sources, such as rivers, swamps, and wetlands. They are found across a wide range in North America, from southern Canada down to Mexico. They are opportunistic predators that hunt from a perch or while soaring over the forest canopy. Their diet consists of small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and other birds.

The Red-shouldered Hawk is known for its distinctive and loud call, a series of repetitive, high-pitched keer-keer-keer sounds. This call is often a key to identifying the bird, even when it is not visible. They are territorial and will use their call to defend their nesting site.