Swainson's Hawk Similar Species Comparison
Similar Species
Red-tailed Hawk
Adult light morph (borealis)
Red-tailed Hawks have broader, paler wings than Swainson's Hawks, with dark marks on the leading edge between the shoulder and wrist (patagium). Red-tailed has a mostly white breast and a "belly band" of dark streaks.
© Jonathan Eckerson | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 18, 2017Similar Species
Red-tailed Hawk
Adult light morph (borealis)
Red-tailed Hawks lack the extensive brown head and upper breast of Swainson's Hawks. Red-tailed has a band of streaks across the belly that Swainson's lack.
© Alex Lamoreaux | Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, February 10, 2016Similar Species
Ferruginous Hawk
Adult light morph
Ferruginous Hawks are very pale underneath, lacking Swainson's Hawk's brown hood and dark trailing edge of the wing.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 31, 2015Similar Species
White-tailed Hawk
Adult light morph
White-tailed Hawks have a bold black band at the end of the white tail, whereas Swainson's Hawk has narrow dark bands along the tail. White-tailed also lacks the brown upper breast of Swainson's.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryTexas, November 12, 2011Similar Species
White-tailed Hawk
Adult light morph
When perched, White-tailed Hawks have gray heads and reddish brown patches on the shoulders, whereas Swainson's are uniform brown above. They lack the brown upper breast of Swainson's Hawk.
© Jan Meerman | Macaulay LibraryCayo, February 04, 2010Similar Species
White-tailed Hawk
Immature
Immature White-tailed Hawks usually have a noticeable white chest patch, which Swainson's Hawks lack.
© Byron Stone | Macaulay LibraryTexas, December 31, 2015Similar Species
Red-tailed Hawk
Adult dark morph (calurus/alascensis)
Dark morph Red-tailed Hawks are best told from Swainson's by shape: Red-tailed has broad, rounded wings, unlike Swainson's long, somewhat pointed wings that they hold slightly raised in a dihedral.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 12, 2016Similar Species
Ferruginous Hawk
Dark morph
Dark morph Ferruginous Hawks have pale patches in the underside of the outer primaries, while dark morph Swainson's Hawks are uniformly dark on the underwing.
© Chris Wood | Macaulay LibraryColorado, January 10, 2016Main Species
Swainson's Hawk
Adult light morph
Distinctively long-winged large hawk with pointed wingtips. Usually soars with wings slightly raised (dihedral). Light morph adults have dark flight feathers creating a broad, dark trailing edge to the wing. Also note the brown upper breast, creating a hooded appearance.
© Steven Mlodinow | Macaulay LibraryColorado, May 31, 2017Adult light morph
Note the distinctive long-winged shape with pointed wingtips—especially pronounced when the bird is gliding with wingtips swept back, giving an M-shape to the wings.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 17, 2019Adult light morph
Large hawk with long, relatively slender wings with pointed tips. Typically soars with wings slightly raised (known as "dihedral"), often teetering in the wind.
© Larry Arbanas | Macaulay LibraryArizona, May 12, 2006Not all videos have sound
Adult dark morph
Dark-morph Swainson's Hawks can vary from reddish-brown to uniform dark brown, but they usually have a rufous tone to the underwing coverts and pale undertail coverts, as shown here.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 25, 2009Adult dark morph
Dark-morph adults usually have a two-toned appearance from beneath created by paler underwing coverts and darker flight feathers, similar to but less pronounced than the pattern of light-morph adults. Note the long wings with somewhat pointed tips.
© Alex Lamoreaux | Macaulay LibraryOregon, June 19, 2019Adult light morph
Large hawk of open country. Note brown head and breast, with unmarked white belly.
© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibraryArizona, July 24, 1997Not all videos have sound
Adult light morph
Large hawk with long wings. Head and upper breast are brown, creating a hooded appearance. Tail has narrow dark bands, with a broader dark band at the tip.
© Malcolm Gold | Macaulay LibraryKansas, April 16, 2017Adult dark morph
Hunts in open country; eats mostly mammals such as ground squirrels on breeding grounds.
© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibraryMontana, July 01, 2000Not all videos have sound
Flock (with Broad-winged Hawks)
Forms large flocks on migration, sometimes with other raptors such as Broad-winged Hawk. Note Swainson's Hawk's relatively long, somewhat pointed wings.
© Benjamin Clock | Macaulay LibraryVeracruz, October 08, 2006Not all videos have sound
Adult dark morph
Dark morph birds can range from reddish brown to fully dark brown, but usually have some rufous tones to the plumage. Note long wings.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 12, 2016Juvenile dark morph
Dark-morph immatures can be quite variable in degree of darkness, but usually have some buffy streaking on the body and show pale undertail coverts.
© Margaret Viens | Macaulay LibraryMaine, October 01, 2016Juvenile light morph
Light-morph immatures are mottled brown above, with pale edges to the wing coverts, and have variable dark streaking on the breast. The head is often pale from bleaching.
© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryIdaho, September 16, 2018Juvenile
Young Swainson's Hawks have pale edges to the upperwing coverts creating a scalloped appearance.
© Cédric Duhalde | Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, September 26, 2017Juvenile dark morph
Dark-morph juveniles are variable but usually show buffy streaking on the body and often have pale head from bleaching. Note the distinctive long-winged shape.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 19, 2018Juvenile light morph
Often has brown streaks on the chest but may also show brown upper breast and dark flight feathers, like an adult. Juveniles have a narrower, less distinct terminal tail band than adults.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 17, 2019Habitat
Breeds in open country with occasional trees, including grasslands, croplands, pastures, hayfields, and sage flats.
© Joshua Schrecengost | Macaulay LibraryMontana, August 19, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites(Order: Accipitriformes, Family: Accipitridae)
Need Bird ID Help? Try Merlin
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds, birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.