Short-tailed Hawk Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A fairly small hawk with broad wings and long secondaries, giving a bulging outline to the trailing edge of the wing. Despite its common name, the tail is not particularly short compared to other buteos.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Mississippi Kite, slightly smaller than a Red-shouldered Hawk; similar in size to Broad-winged Hawk.

  between crow and goose

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 15.3-17.3 in (39-44 cm)
    • Weight: 13.6-16.9 oz (385-480 g)
    • Wingspan: 32.7-40.5 in (83-103 cm)

  © Jorge Torres Apolo / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Like many hawks, has two color morphs. Dark morphs are rich blackish brown overall, with a banded tail and pale barring in the flight feathers. The light morph is dark brown above, neat white below, with a white throat. Tail and flight feathers from below are sparsely barred. Juveniles are streaked below (light morph) or faintly spotted (dark morph), with more tail bands than adults. In Florida population, dark morphs are more common than light morphs.

• Behavior

  Soars high in the air, following forest edges. When hunting, often turns into the wind to hover (or kite) before diving steeply to take birds from their perches. Adult male performs flight displays over territory.
• Habitat

  Breeds in dense, tall forest of many types. Winters in swamp forests, pine savannas, mangroves, coastal marshes, prairies, pastures, and towns.