Bird Guide

Rough-legged Buzzard vs Swainson's Hawk

Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus)

Rough-legged Buzzard

Buteo lagopus

Large950 gGrassland

This fairly large raptorial species is 46–68 cm (18–27 in) with wingspan ranging from 120 to 153 cm (47 to 60 in). Individuals can weigh from 600 to 1,660 g (1.32 to 3.66 lb) with females typically being larger and heavier than males. Weights appear to increase from summer to winter in adults, going from an average of 822 to 1,027 g (1.812 to 2.264 lb) in males and from 1,080 to 1,278 g (2.381 to 2.818 lb) in females. Among the members of the genus Buteo, it is sixth heaviest, the fifth longest, and the fourth longest winged. Among standard measurements in adults, the wing chord is 37.2–48. Voice: Adult rough-legged buzzards will give alarm calls when intruders approach a nesting site. It is described as a downward slurring whistle, sounding like kiu wiyuk or a lengthy descending kee-eer similar to that of the red-tailed hawk. This cry is given in flight or from a perch every 15–30 seconds. During courtship, both sexes have been recorded to give a whistling sound that changes to a hiss.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk) · CC BY 2.5
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: Rough-legged Buzzard and Swainson's Hawk.