Zone-tailed Hawk Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  : A rather lightly built hawk with slim wings and a fairly long tail when compared to a Red-tailed Hawk.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Red-shouldered Hawk, smaller than a Red-tailed Hawk.

  between crow and goose

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 17.7-22.1 in (45-56 cm)
    • Weight: 4.2-4.9 oz (119-140 g)
    • Wingspan: 46.9-55.1 in (119-140 cm)
• Color Pattern

  Grayish black, with black-and-white barred undersides to the flight feathers (giving an effect similar to the Turkey Vulture’s two-toned underwing) and a blackish tail with white bands.

• Behavior

  Forages by flying slowly and low over treetops, holding wings in a slight dihedral (V-shape), as Turkey Vultures do. Drops onto prey from low heights. Courting pairs perform acrobatic aerial displays high in the air.

• Habitat

  Cottonwood riparian corridors, upland desert, foothills, and mountain pine forest, especially where there is uneven terrain such as cliffs, mesas, or canyons. Least common in low desert and high mountains.