Red-Shouldered Hawk

Buteo lineatus

The red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus, is a medium-sized North American raptor associated with mature woods, wooded wetlands, riparian corridors, and increasingly some leafy suburbs. Adults show rusty barring on the chest, rufous shoulders, a banded tail, and black-and-white checkering on the wings; in flight, pale crescent windows near the wingtips are a useful field mark. Its loud kee-aah call often reveals a territory before the bird is seen. Prey includes frogs, snakes, small mammals, crayfish, large insects, and occasional birds.

Red-shouldered hawks are protected native wildlife, so captive possession is limited to licensed rehabilitation, education, research, or falconry where permitted. Injured birds need experienced raptor care, whole-prey diets, proper mews, and release conditioning; nonreleaseable education birds require long-term permit compliance and low-stress handling. Land stewardship for the species focuses on protecting nest woods and wetland buffers, limiting rodenticide exposure, and planning tree work outside nesting periods when possible. Homeowners usually help most by preserving mature trees and avoiding disturbance around active nests.