New York may be home to the largest city in North America, but the empire state is also home to a large variety of birds of prey. From the Adirondacks to the Great Lakes to the Hudson river and all the forests in between, it’s no wonder New York has an abundance of habitats that support many of north americas owls, hawks, falcons and eagles.
From Buteos to Accipiters, in this article we’ll have a closer look at the 8 species of New World hawks living in the state of New York.
8 Species of Hawks in New York
New York’s hawk species are the Northern Harrier, Sharp shinned hawk, Coopers hawk, Red-Shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Red-tailed hawk, Northern Goshawk, and the Rough-legged Hawk. Let’s learn about each one of them.
1. Northern Harrier
Scientific name: Circus hudsonius
Length: 18.1-19.7 in
Weight: 10.6-26.5 oz
Wingspan: 40.2-46.5 in
The northern harrier is a medium sized hawk that is known for flying with its wings held slightly upward in a V shape. Males tend to be a silvery gray to gray-brown while females and immatures are a warm cinnamon brown.
One good field mark to look for is a bright white rump patch at the top of their tail. Up close, they have a distinctive face for a hawk, that many think looks more like an owl.
Like owls, Northern Harriers may often rely on their hearing to locate their prey, such as mice and voles scurrying through vegetation in fields. They have a slightly disc shaped face that helps funnel sound to their ears.
With their be