Buteos

Buteos: Wings are long and broad with relatively short tails. Known as “soaring hawks”, they are commonly seen soaring overhead in open areas. Often seen perched in conspicuous places such as roadsides and utility poles. In fall migration, these birds can be seen soaring southward using warm air currents.

Six species of buteos have been trapped at Cedar Grove

Red-tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

CGORS has trapped and processed 7,078 Red-tailed Hawks since 1952. The breakdown for birds with a recorded age are as follows:

Immature: 5,925
Adult: 1,146

 

Red-shouldered Hawk

CGORS has trapped and processed 121 Red-shouldered Hawks since 1952. The breakdown for birds with a recorded age are as follows:

Immature: 101
Adult: 20

Broad-winged Hawk

CGORS has trapped and processed 86 Broad-winged Hawks since 1952. The breakdown for birds with a recorded age are as follows:

Immature: 65
Adult: 21

At the station we rarely catch Broad-winged Hawks, however, we are usually witness to an impressive migration. See the graph below. While Red-tailed Hawks migrate throughout the fall, Broad-winged Hawks migrate in large groups called kettles, and are seen during a very short window near the end of September.

Rough-legged Hawk

CGORS has trapped and processed 65 Rough-legged Hawks since 1952. The breakdown for birds with a recorded age are as follows:

Immature: 52
Adult: 10

Swainson’s Hawk

CGORS has trapped and processed 13 Swainson’s Hawks since 1952. The breakdown for birds with a recorded age are as follows:

Immature: 11
Adult: 1

Ferruginous Hawk

CGORS has trapped and processed 1 Ferruginous Hawk, a Hatch-Year of Unknown Sex.