Bird Guide

Broad-winged Hawk vs Red-tailed Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

Large454 gForest

The broad-winged hawk is a relatively small Buteo, with a body size from 32 to 44 cm (13 to 17 in) in length and weighing 265 to 560 g (9.3 to 19.8 oz). The tail is relatively short, measuring 14.5–19.0 cm (5.7–7.5 in) in length. The tarsus measures from 5.6 to 6.6 cm (2.2 to 2.6 in). As in most raptors, females are slightly larger than males. Broad-winged hawks have relatively short and broad wings, pointed at the end, which have a tapered appearance unique to the species. The wingspan can range from 74 to 100 cm (29 to 39 in), with the extended wing bone (standard measurement) measuring 22. Voice: These hawks use vocalizations for communication with their mates and offspring, and in territorial displays towards intruders such as red-tailed hawks or other threatening animals. Their call sounds like a very high-pitched kee-ee, almost like a whistle. Fledglings learn to emit the call by the time they are one month old.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Broad-winged Hawk
Recorded by Rosa Elena Albornoz @rosaelena_naturaleza · Call · Bosque Amnesia del Poder (near Caracas), Sucre, Miranda, Venezuela · CC0
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC0
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Large1.1 kgWoodland

The red-tailed hawk is dimorphic in size, as females are up to 25% larger than males. As is typical in large raptors, frequently reported mean body mass for red-tailed hawks is somewhat higher than expansive research reveals. Part of this weight is highly seasonally variable and due to clinal variation; male red-tailed hawks may weigh from 690 to 1,300 g (1.52 to 2.87 lb) and females from 900 to 2,000 g (2.0 to 4.4 lb). Voice: The cry of the red-tailed hawk is a two- to three-second, hoarse, rasping scream, described as kree-eee-ar, that begins at a high pitch and slurs downward. This cry is often described as sounding similar to a steam whistle.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Red-tailed Hawk
Recorded by Jonas Katona · Call · Sand Canyon, Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County, California, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steve Jurvetson · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Broad-winged Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk.