Broad-winged Hawk

Hawks are broken down into two different families, buteos and accipiters. Buteos are what most people think of when they think of hawks. They have long rounded wings and often seen soaring on thermal air currents. Since accipiters are hawks they also have rounded wings but their wings are shorter and their tails are longer. This gives them more maneuverability which they need since they are primarily bird hunters.

One of the smallest members of the butoe family is the broad-winged hawk. These stocky hawks are usually found in deciduous forests in much of the eastern half of North America. I found this broad-winged hawk near the Old Cedar Bridge in the Minnesota Valley NWR.

Broad-winged hawks eat much of the same prey as their larger cousin the red-tailed hawk, this includes mammals, reptiles and amphibians, small birds and even large insects. Because of their smaller size they are able to get around in and hunt with in the forest usually ambushing their prey by dropping on them from their perch in the tree top canopy.

Broad-winged hawks go through a mass migration each fall, in Minnesota this typically occurs around mid September. Though not really travelling together many travel in the same thermal currents. This phenomenon is called a kettle. they will travel about 60 to 70 miles per day and end up in Central America or the northern portion of South America where they will spend the winter.