Buteo swainsoni
The Swainson's Hawk, a medium-sized raptor measuring 48-56 cm (19-22 inches) in length with a wingspan of 117-137 cm (46-54 inches) and weighing 1.1-1.4 kg (2.4-3.1 lbs), is a distinctive prairie and grassland inhabitant. This species exhibits remarkable polymorphism, with light, rufous, and dark morphs common; the classic light morph adult features a white belly, dark flight feathers contrasting with pale underwing coverts, and a striking reddish-brown breast band, while dark morphs are unif...
This raptor primarily inhabits open grasslands, prairies, and agricultural fields with scattered trees or groves for nesting, typically found at low to mid-elevations.
Their diet consists primarily of large insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, and dragonflies, especially during migration and summer, supplemented by small mammals like ground squirrels, voles, and mice, and occasionally reptiles or amphibians, typically caught by ground-hunting or aerial pursuit.
Swainson's Hawks are diurnal predators, often observed soaring effortlessly or perch-hunting from elevated vantage points like fence posts or trees. Uniquely, they also engage in highly social aerial insect hawking, especially during migration, where entire flocks can be seen spiraling upwards to...
The Swainson's Hawk breeds across a vast expanse of western North America, from the Canadian Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) south through the Great Plains and intermountain west of the United States, extending into northern Mexico. Its breeding range encompasses diverse states such as...
Least Concern
- Swainson's Hawks undertake the longest migration of any North American raptor, traveling up to 14,000 miles (22,500 km) round trip from their breeding grounds to their wintering grounds in South America. - They are sometimes called 'Grasshopper Hawks' or 'Locust Hawks' due to their opportunisti...