Discover the 8 Types of Hawks in Arizona
Arizona is indeed a little birders’ haven. The place attracts a lot of bird watchers, and these include; Arizona has more number of bird records than any state in the United States. Such is not a big shock when you consider the array of ecosystems present in the state; there are inland marshes, canyonlands, alluvial river floodplains, mountain wooded, mixed grass and shrublands, and, of course, deserts.
Arizona hosts many kinds of hawks and, therefore, is a perfect place for bird-watching tours for everybody. In the case of these raptors, they are spread in various densities across multifarious ecotypes. And this they do in open or stony grounds, and on mountains, cliffs, and even in marshy swamps where they are able to find their pray.
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Top 8 Types of Hawks in Arizona
A glance through the eight well-known hawks that may be found flying in Arizona today.
1. Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed hawks are the most abundant of all raptors in Arizona. They are named such due to their having a broad red section at the hind part of their body. They are huge birds of prey with virtually semicircular and huge wings, with deep-brown upper sides of the wings and much lighter brownish undersides of the wings.
Raptors, especially these hawks, feed on snakes, mice, lizards, rabbits, voles, rats and other small birds. They have a great vision that aids in the hunting of prey. The red-tailed hawks’ main threats are recourses to by humans, Great-Horned owls, and Bobcats.
This species of hawk prefers to build their nests at the apex of large trees in the crown. The female lays 1-4 eggs, and the incubation period is 28 to 35 days.
2. Broad-winged Hawks
The broad-winged hawks are medium-sized and are among the birds of prey that can often be seen in Arizona. They have scissor-like beaks to tear off their prey, sharp claws with which they kill their prey and good vision to sight their prey.
During the spring season, broad-winged hawks may be observed in and around the Grand Canyon or any other wooded region, which they can use as hunting grounds for rodents, frogs, lizards, birds, insects and other small mammals.
These hawks have elaborate courtship displays during the breeding season of the year, whereby the male attempts to impress the female. Females lay between one and five eggs, which hatch in about 28 days. They defend the chicks for 5-6 weeks when the chicks are still in nests before they are able to fly.
3. Ferruginous Hawk
Ferruginous hawks are also the largest hawks in Arizona with respect to body length as well as weight. It is related to eagles and the female of the species is bigger than the male. While recording the presence of ferruginous hawks, the study observed that, although not restricting their appearance to any certain months, these birds of prey can be spotted all year round in Arizona.
These are mostly small to medium-sized and feed on mice, grasshoppers, beetles, birds, rats, ground squirrels, black-tailed rabbits and several other small mammals. They also prey on small reptiles, including bullsnakes and garter snakes.
Ferruginous hawks create nests in the exposed country where the female lays eggs for up to 5, an average of 32 days for the eggs. The male hawks will also incubate and brood on the hatchlings until they are ready to fly, which is a 5- 6-week period.
4. Cooper’s Hawk
Cooper’s hawks are classified as birds of moderate size that are viewed in the woodland and the forest in Arizona. They can also be spotted in areas that follow the rivers’ curves, known as river grooves, and also in most urban settings. They hunt sneakily and are the most aggressive birds as far as flying is concerned.
It feeds mainly on small birds, insects, mice, ground squirrels, chipmunks and snakes. Cooper’s hawks are vulnerable to raccoons, great horned owls, American crows and other large hawks.
Chicks, being 3 to 5 in number, are laid by the females in pale blue-whitish eggs, which hatch in 32 to 36 days. It is a roller species in which the male takes up the responsibility of feeding the female during the incubation and brooding period. The young ones take 4-5 weeks to fly.
5. Rough-Legged Hawk
Rough-legged hawks are birds of moderate size with rather large heads and powerful, broad wings. They have feathers on their legs, which makes them well-suited for colder regions of the world. They are usually sighted in Arizona in the winter.
This type of hawk prefers to prey in the open plain ground. Their principal populations feed on rodents, especially voles and lemmings. These hawks feed on small birds, insects, mice, rats, muskrats, and black-tailed rabbits, the remaining extent having no known predators. Predation is mostly on the young ones by bears, wolves, and foxes.
Rough-legged hawks commonly breed on tundra, selecting nest sites on small offshore islands of the Alaskan coastline. Females are likely to lay between two to seven eggs. The incubation period lasts for not less than 31 days, after which the young ones abandon the eggs and remain with their parents for 4-6 weeks to become independent.
6. Northern Goshawk
Northern goshawks are present all year round in Arizona. These are the largest of the accipiters and have an even larger distribution range than most cowbirds of Central America. They belong to the long-tailed group and have broad, rounded wings. They are greyish-dark on their dorsal side and pale grey on their ventral side.
These hawks are persuasive and inconspicuous in threatening manners. They pursue their pray in various types of forest terrains for doves, jackrabbits, squirrels, snakes, fishes, voles, mice, rats and other medium and small-sized mammals that they encounter.
Northern goshawks are monogamous. They particularly love breeding grounds in such regions of the forests as the deciduous or the coniferous. Females lay 2-4 sub-terminal pale bluish eggs, and approximately 28-37 days are required to hatch the eggs.
7. Harris’s Hawk
Harris’s hawks are large birds of prey with long legs; the public can observe these birds in the urban and suburban places of Arizona. They are conspicuous because of their colour and broad wings. They are very social birds that are known to hunt in small groups.
Falkner says they feed on half-grown wild turkeys, pocket gophers, kangaroo rats, lizards and other ground squirrels and also small mammals. They can also prey on large-sized animals, such as rabbits this is because they hunt in packs. The harris’s hawks are known to fall prey to the great-horned owls, eagles, and coyotes when young.
8. Zone-Tailed Hawk
The Zone-tailed hawks are wonderful examples of several species of raptors that fall in the medium-sized category and are versatile on the ground. They are most often found in open country, hunting for lizards, quails, chipmunks, frogs, fish and other small game.
They make nests during the breeding season in the crotch of large trees; the female lays up to 5 small white eggs marked with brown. The incubation period ranges roughly to about 35 days. The young ones are able to fledge from as early as 7 weeks of age.
Dr. Morrison and her husband have an amazing daughter and 2 cats that they raised after they were born in the bushes outside their front door (a fun surprise mid-pandemic project!). In her free time, Dr. Morrison enjoys traveling, spending time with her daughter, going to the beach, and exploring new things outdoors. She also enjoys all sorts of baking and cooking.
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