Red-shouldered Hawk

The red-shouldered hawk is a medium sized Buteo found primarily in the eastern half of the United States. There are several subspecies of red-shouldered that differ by coloration, size and geography. The norther red-shoulders that we see here in Minnesota are a bit larger and dark. They look similar to a red-taled hawk but they are not as stocky and their breast is usually pretty orange. This subspecies migrates to Mexico for the winter. The red-shouldered subspecies that is found in Florida, like the one above, is much lighter and color as well as a bit smaller. They are much more common down in south Florida. Every time we have visited we saw more red-shouldered then we did red-tailed hawk. They are much more uncommon here in Minnesota. There is also one subspecies that is found along the California coast far away from any of the other subspecies of red-shouldered hawk.