Red-shouldered Hawk

Buteo lineatus (Gmelin, JF, 1788)

Red-shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus, breeds across North America and Middle America, including south-eastern, central and north-western to south-eastern Mexico. It is a forest hawk with a breeding range that also reaches eastern North America and the coast of California. Adults show red on the shoulders when perched, and the tail carries narrow white bars. The species was first described in 1788 by Gmelin. It is a permanent resident over much of its range, although birds from the north move south, mainly to central Mexico. Deforestation is the main threat named for this widespread hawk.

Order

Accipitriformes

Family

Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Breeding range

North America, Middle America: se, c, also nw, se Mexico