How to Identify a Red Tailed Hawk ● Easily compare vs turkey vulture, red shouldered hawk and more
Learn how to identify a red tailed hawk in four simple steps!
Birds of prey are challenging to identify. And it’s even harder when you just get a glimpse of them from far away! We’ll also go through how to tell if the bird you’re looking at is a red tailed hawk or Cooper’s hawk, red shouldered hawk, Harris hawk, or turkey vulture.
And of course, I have lots of pictures to illustrate the differences.
How to identify a red tailed hawk
Most red-tailed hawks are rich brown above and pale white below, with a streaked belly and, a dark bar on the underside of their wings. From below, their tails are usually pale below and cinnamon-red above. However, in young birds it’s brown and banded. “Dark-morph” birds are all chocolate-brown with a warm red tail.
Steps to identify a red tailed hawk
1. Check if the bird’s tail is red
If the tail is red, it’s definitely a red tailed hawk!
However, if the tail isn’t red, it still could be!
Juvenile red tailed hawks usually have brown tails. And Harlan’s hawks, one of many red tailed hawk subspecies, has a pale tail that’s usually not red at all!
2. Does the bird have a broad shape?
Red tailed hawks have a bulky shape compared to falcons! Check out these silhouettes as an example!
Step 1 above shows a red tailed hawk.
Step 2 here shows a falcon.
See how different the wings look? The hawk’s wings are broader and you can see the individual feathers sticking out at the ends. The falcon has narrow wings with smooth edges.
And the falcon has an “elbow” in its wings, where the hawk does not.
However, eagles and vultures have similar shapes to hawks.
3. Does the bird have feathered legs?
Rough-legged and ferruginous hawks have feathers on their legs that go all the way down to their feet, like the picture here. It looks like the ferruginous hawk here is wearing pants! (see Step 4 for a good picture of a red tailed hawk’s bare legs!)
But red tailed hawks don’t have feathers going all the way down to their talons.
4. Does the bird have black on its underside?
If the bird has a light colored underside and broad wings, it’s probably a red tailed hawk.
Turkey vultures, bald eagles, golden eagles, Harris’s hawks, and red shouldered hawks all have dark bellies, so this clue helps a lot!
However, ospreys, peregrine falcons, and Cooper’s hawks all have lighter undersides.
You can see this red tailed hawk has a very light belly, with a bit of black speckling across the middle. Also check out its legs compared to the ferruginous hawk in step 3!
If you still aren’t sure, here are more tips and comparisons!
Does a juvenile red tailed hawk have a red tail?
Juvenile red tailed hawks have brown tails.
Red tailed hawks do not have a red tail until they are about one year old.
How to tell red tailed hawks apart from similar birds of prey
Red tailed hawks look similar to other large raptors, especially at a distance.
If you want more detailed information, I highly recommend the book “Hawks from Every Angle.” And here are more books that will help you identify hawks, whether you are a beginner or advanced birder!
Red tailed hawk or golden eagle
There are 3 easy ways to tell if a bird is a red tailed hawk or golden eagle
- Size. Red tailed hawks have a wingspan of about 3 feet vs the eagle’s 5 feet. And hawks are around 2.5 pounds, compared to 9 pound eagles!
- Coloration. Red tailed hawks have brown backs and white undersides. But golden eagles are dark brown with a slight golden sheen on their head and neck. Younger eagles may have white patches on their wings and tails.
- Location. Finally golden eagles are rare in the eastern United States. If you’re out west, it is possible the bird is a golden eagle
Red tailed hawk vs bald eagle
What about comparing bald eagles vs red tailed hawks?
Bald eagles are much larger than red tailed hawks- the average bald eagle weighs about 8 pounds and the average red tail is about 2.5 pounds!
And bald eagles have brown undersides, vs the red tailed hawk’s white belly. Adult bald eagles have white tails and of course, white heads. But red tailed hawks have dark colored heads and red-brown tails.
Red tailed hawk or peregrine falcon
How can you tell if a bird is a red tailed hawk or a peregrine falcon?
Peregrine falcons are much smaller than red tailed hawks- about the size of crows. And peregrine falcons are primarily blue-gray while red tails are reddish brown.
Peregrine falcons have what is called a malar stripe- the dark coloring on their faces looks like sideburns! A red tailed hawk has a solid brown head.
Looking at the belly will also tell you if the bird is a red tailed hawk or a peregrine falcon. Red tails have a dark “belly band” of speckled feathers, and white below that. Peregrine’s bellies are fully speckled.
Finally, if you see a bird flying high above and want to know if it’s a red tailed hawk or a peregrine falcon, it’s actually pretty easy! Check the bird’s wingtips. Hawks’ feathers stick out like fingers. And falcons have smooth, pointed wings.
You might also enjoy: Birdwatching slang
Red tailed hawk vs osprey
Red tailed hawks have stouter, broader wings compared to the osprey. And ospreys have a bend in their wings, giving them an M shape, vs the hawk’s more flat wing profile.
Red tailed hawk vs turkey vulture
If you see a hawk-like bird soaring high above and want to know if it’s a turkey vulture or a red tailed hawk, it’s surprisingly easy to tell the difference!
Turkey vultures are not as graceful flyers as red tails. If the bird is soaring and wobbling side to side, it’s a vulture. Hawks have a smoother flight.
If the bird’s wings look like a V, it’s a vulture. If they’re flat, it’s a hawk.
Finally, telling the difference when the bird lands is easy too! Vultures have dark colored bellies versus a light or speckled hawk belly. And turkey vultures have red heads but hawks have feathered heads.
Want to test what you’ve learned? Take our beginner red-tailed hawk vs turkey vulture quiz!
Red tailed hawk or Cooper’s hawk
Fortunately there are lots of clues to tell if the bird you’re seeing is a Cooper’s hawk or a red tailed hawk.
Cooper’s hawks have blue-gray upper parts and red-tailed hawks are brown. And Cooper’s have black caps, while red tails do not. Coopers have red eyes, versus red tailed hawks’ green or yellow eyes.
If you see the hawk flying, Cooper’s flights have a flap-flap-glide pattern.
Finally, Cooper’s hawks are much smaller than red tails- they weigh around 1 pound on average, while the typical red tail is about 2.5 pounds! To put it another way, a Cooper’s hawk is about the size of a crow!
Do hawks have red heads?
Hawks do not have red heads. If you see a bird of prey with a red head, it is most likely a turkey vulture. Turkey vultures are very similar in size to red-tailed hawks. However, vultures tend to wobble when they fly- hawks have a steadier flight. And vultures hold their wings in a V-shape while soaring, while a red-tail’s wings appear much flatter.
Red tailed hawk or Harris’s hawk
Harris’s hawks are typically much darker when compared vs red tailed hawks, especially their undersides.
A Harris’s hawk has a black band across its tail with white at the tip and where the tail meets the body.
And Harris’s hawks have long legs, covered in feathers, while red tails don’t have feathered legs.
Red tailed hawk or red shouldered hawk
Red tailed hawks are bigger, broader, and bulkier than red shouldered hawks.
Of course, if the tail is red, it’s definitely a red tail!
Red tails often have a dark band across their belly, while red shoulders tend to have reddish-brown bellies.
If you’re lucky enough to see the bird perching, you’ll notice that red shouldered hawks have orange breasts, vs red tails, which don’t.
Identifying Juvenile Red-Tailed Hawks
Most juvenile red-tailed hawks don’t have red tails. So how can you tell them apart from an adult?
Juvenile red-tailed hawks have very streaky undersides. In most cases, their entire underside is streaky
In addition, the top side of a juvenile red-tailed hawk is streaky and not a solid brown like an adult.
Although this juvenile red-tail doesn’t have the eponymous red tail, it otherwise has the same shape and size as an adult.
Allaboutbirds also has an excellent gallery of juvenile vs adult red-tailed hawk images.
Raptor Wrap up
Identifying red tailed hawks and other birds of prey is hard! You often only get a brief glimpse. And there’s no easy way to tell if the bird is an adult or juvenile.
And many types of birds, like red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, turkey vultures, red shouldered hawks, Harris’s hawks, and golden eagles can look similar, especial from a distance.
But each time you identify a bird, you’ll sharpen your skills and have an easier time!
Still not sure what bird you’re looking at? Check out my guide to free hawk identification resources- 19 high quality PDFS you can download to improve your ID skills!
You might also like: How to Identify a Grosbeak vs Orioles, Finches, Towhees, and other bird species.
More information about how to identify a red tailed hawk
- Cornell’s All About Birds page on red tailed hawks has great comparisons vs similar species, like red shouldered hawks and turkey vultures
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