Bird Guide

Grey-lined Hawk vs Swainson's Hawk

Grey-lined Hawk (Buteo nitidus)

Grey-lined Hawk

Buteo nitidus

Large519 gForest

The gray-lined hawk is 46–61 cm (18–24 in) in length and weighs 475 g (16.8 oz) average. The adult has a pale gray body, the tail is black with three white bands and the legs are orange. It has fine white barring on the upper parts. Immature birds have dark brown upperparts, a pale-banded brown tail, brown-spotted white underparts and a brown streaked buff head and neck. This species is quite short-winged, and has a fast agile flight for a Buteo.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Grey-lined Hawk
Recorded by Rosa Elena Albornoz @rosaelena_naturaleza · Call · Fila De Mariches (near Parroquia La Dolorita), Sucre, Miranda, Venezuela · CC0
Photo: Joao Quental · CC BY 2.0
Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)

Swainson's Hawk

Buteo swainsoni

Large947 gGrassland

Swainson's hawk is a raptor and a medium-sized member of the genus Buteo. It broadly overlaps in size with the red-tailed hawk (B. jamaicensis), a related species found as a breeding resident almost throughout North America. Swainson's hawk is on average a little shorter in length, 43–56 cm (17–22 in) long, and weighs a bit less, 0.5–1.7 kg (1.1–3.7 lb). However, Swainson's hawk has a slightly longer wingspan at 117–137 cm (46–54 in), with more slender, elongated wings, than the red-tailed hawk. Female Swainson's hawks, at an average weight of 1.15 kg (2.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Swainson's Hawk
Recorded by Diana Doyle · Begging call, call · Hereford, Cochise County, Arizona, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jonathan Eisen · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grey-lined Hawk and Swainson's Hawk.