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Help develop a Bird ID tool!

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus ORDER: ACCIPITRIFORMES FAMILY: ACCIPITRIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

A small, stocky, forest-dwelling hawk of eastern deciduous forests, the Broad-winged Hawk is hard to see on its nesting grounds. It becomes more conspicuous on migration when it congregates into flocks and passes by hawk migration lookouts in the thousands.

Funky Nests Challenge
Read Cornell Lab of Ornithology's blog, Round Robin

Appearance

Hawks
Hawks
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Medium-sized hawk.
  • Body stout.
  • Wings broad.
  • Wings pale, with dark trailing edge.
  • Tail medium-short.
  • Tail dark with one thick white band in middle, and one thinner near tail base and tip.
  • Face dark.
  • Chest reddish, reddish barring along sides.
  • Throat white.

Immature Description

Juvenile similar to adult, but underparts white with streaks down center of breast, and tail buff with thin dark bands.

Range Map Help

Broad-winged Hawk Range Map
View dynamic map of eBird sightings

Field MarksHelp

  • Adult
    Zoom In

    Broad-winged Hawk

    Adult
    • © Mike Danzenbaker
  • Immature
    Zoom In

    Broad-winged Hawk

    Immature
    • © Kevin T. Karlson

Similar Species

  • Red-shouldered Hawk has reddish shoulders, a more solid orange chest, longer legs, barring on the wing feathers, and its wingtips are less pointed. The Red-shouldered Hawk also has a banded tail, but the white bands are narrower than the black, while the Broad-winged Hawk's central white band is as wide as the black bands.
  • Cooper's Hawk has a much longer tail that extends well beyond the wing tips, a paler face, and a dark cap.