Maryland is our 9th smallest state with about 9, 774 square miles of land, just slightly larger than the Vermont. Even though it’s only a small state on the east coast of the United States, some large birds of prey can be found there. In this article we’ll go over 20 birds of prey in Maryland including hawks, owls, eagles, and falcons.
Some can be found in the state year-round, others are just migrants and not commonly seen. We’ll talk a bit about each species, its size, how to identify it, and where you might look for them.
Birds of prey in Maryland
This list of 20 raptors includes hawks in Maryland, owls in Maryland, falcons in Maryland, and eagles in Maryland.
Hawks in Maryland
1. Red-tailed Hawk
Length: 17.7-25.6 in
Weight: 24.3-51.5 oz
Wingspan: 44.9-52.4 in
The Red-tailed Hawk is a large hawk and the most common one in all of North America. They have a year-round range in the entire state of Maryland and can commonly be seen soaring overhead or perched high up on telephone wires and high in trees. They feed mostly on small to medium-sized mammals so they aren’t seen in backyards stalking bird feeders as often as a Sharp-shinned or Copper’s Hawk is.
Check out this article for more facts Red-tailed Hawks
2. Rough-legged Hawk
Length: 18.5-20.5 in
Weight: 25.2-49.4 oz
Wingspan: 52.0-54.3 in
The Rough-legged Hawk has a non-breeding population in all of Maryland. Probably the best time to see one anywhere in the U.S. is in the winter time. Rough-legged Hawks migrate far north to the arctic regions of Alaska and northern Canada each year to breed. They can easily be identified by their feathered legs that go all the way down to their toes. The only other species of hawk with this trait is th