Broad-winged Hawk
Adult light morph
Small hawk with broad wings that come to a slight point at the tips. Light morph adults have barred underparts and a strongly banded tail. Note dark outline to trailing edge of wings.
© David Brown | Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, September 20, 2016Adult light morph
Light morph adults have brown heads with variable amounts of barring on the breast (can be extensive as in this photo). Note the broad black-and-white bars on the tail.
© Dan Vickers | Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, May 23, 2016Adult light morph
Small hawk with short tail and broad wings with pointed tips. Soars on steady wings, typically turning in tighter circles than other raptors.
© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibraryMissouri, May 04, 1997Not all videos have soundAdult dark morph
Dark-morph adults are uniform dark brown overall, except for a broad white band in the tail. Dark morphs are rare.
© Garrett Wee | Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, April 20, 2017Adult light morph
Small, compact hawk with brown upperparts. Adults have a broad white band on the tail.
© Andrew Aldrich | Macaulay LibraryMaine, April 19, 2016Adult light morph
A small hawk of wooded habitats. Adults have a brown head and chest, barred underparts, and dark tail with a broad white band.
© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibrarySantiago de Cuba, February 01, 2004Not all videos have soundJuvenile light morph
Young light morphs have variable amounts of brown barring on the breast. The tail has many narrow bands.
© Jay McGowan | Macaulay LibraryNew York, September 01, 2017Juvenile light morph
Young light morphs have variable amounts of brown on the breast and lack a dark trailing edge to the wing. The tail has many narrow bands, usually with a stronger dark band at the tip. The gaps in the wing indicate this bird is molting its primary feathers.
© Alex Lamoreaux | Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 20, 2017Flock (with Swainson's Hawks)
Forms enormous flocks during fall migration, particularly as the birds funnel through Mexico and Central America. Sometimes flocks with other raptors, including Swainson's Hawk.
© Benjamin Clock | Macaulay LibraryVeracruz, October 08, 2006Not all videos have soundHabitat
This is a hawk of forests. It breeds in large deciduous or mixed deciduous-evergreen forests.
© Mark Kosiewski | Macaulay LibraryNorth Carolina, July 21, 2012Flock
Forms large flocks on migration, sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands or more. Sometimes flocks with other hawk species.
© LG Pr | Macaulay LibraryTexas, September 20, 2012