8 Unmissable Hawks in Vermont

Author:

Published:

Hawks in Vermont

Affiliate Disclaimer

We’re reader-sponsored! By checking out our awesome handpicked recommendations, you not only support us without spending a dime but also help us earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through links on this website. Let’s have fun and discover amazing birds together!

Perched on the eastern edge of the United States, Vermont is a haven for a diverse range of hawk species. Known for its picturesque landscapes filled with lush forests and rolling hills, this Green Mountain State provides an ideal habitat for these awe-inspiring raptors.

Observing hawks in Vermont, whether soaring in the sky or nestled in the treetops, is a nature lover’s dream.

Types of Hawk in Vermont

Red-tailed Hawks This robust raptor can be spotted throughout Vermont, especially in the open country around the Green Mountains. They’re often seen perched on roadside trees or soaring overhead.

Broad-winged Hawks Vermont’s forested landscapes, particularly in areas like Mt. Philo State Park, provide ideal summer breeding grounds for these hawks. With dark brown backs, they are best observed during the fall migration.

Cooper’s Hawks Notoriously elusive, these woodland hawks breed across Vermont. The woodland edges in places like Snake Mountain are a good spot to observe these agile predators.

Sharp-shinned Hawks The smallest of Vermont’s hawks, they are often seen darting through dense forests, such as those around the Green River Reservoir State Park, in pursuit of small birds.

Red-shouldered Hawks These hawks favor Vermont’s wet deciduous forests, particularly those around the Northeast Kingdom. They’re quite vocal, so keep an ear out for their distinctive call.

Northern Harriers Also known as the Marsh Hawk, Northern Harriers are often seen gliding low over open fields and wetlands, such as those in Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area, on the hunt for small mammals.

Northern Goshawks This large, powerful hawk can be found in the extensive forested regions of Vermont, such as the Green Mountain National Forest. They’re secretive and hard to spot, making every sighting a rewarding experience.

Rough-legged Hawks These arctic visitors can be spotted in Vermont during the winter months. Open farmlands and fields, like those near Shelburne, provide good opportunities for sightings.

Vermont Hawks Photo Guide

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-tailed Hawk scientific name

The Red-tailed Hawk is a large bird of prey that is commonly found across North America. This species is part of the genus Buteo, which is often referred to as the “true hawks,” and includes more than two dozen species of raptors.

Red-tailed Hawks have a robust size, ranging from 18 to 26 inches in length and sporting a wingspan that can exceed 4 feet. They have a broad, rounded set of wings and a short, wide red tail. This species is most easily recognized by its rich, rust-colored tail, which gives it its common name. However, juvenile hawks might not yet have this distinctive feature.

Their feathers are generally dark brown on their dorsal side (back) with a lighter, often speckled, ventral side (front). The intensity and pattern of their plumage can vary significantly based on their age and geographic location, as there are about 14 recognized subspecies of Red-tailed Hawks.

As for their diet, Red-tailed Hawks are carnivores and have a broad diet that includes rodents, ground rabbits, reptiles, and other birds. They are skilled hunters that typically sit on high perches and use their keen eyesight to spot potential prey. Once they have identified a target, they swoop down to capture it with their powerful talons.

Red-tailed Hawks mate for life and build nests high off the ground, often in tall trees or on cliff edges. Their nests are made of sticks and can be quite large. They typically lay 1-3 eggs per year, which are incubated by both parents.

Red-tailed Hawk range map credit https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

Red-tailed Hawk Sound

credit https://xeno-canto.org/645523

Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)

Broad-winged Hawk scientific name Buteo platypterus
Broad-winged Hawk range map credit https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

Broad-winged Hawk Sound

credit https://xeno-canto.org/663427

The Broad-winged Hawk holds a commanding presence as one of the largest hawks in the world, known for its broad wings. Its formidable size is a testament to its prowess as a bird of prey, effortlessly navigating the open skies in search of food.

Their distinctive appearance sets them apart. The adults exhibit a striking black and white pattern, complemented by a rusty breast and buff underparts and brown wings. In contrast, juveniles are adorned with a brown plumage, marked by pale edges on their feathers, adding to their distinctive youthful charm.

These hawks are most commonly found in open areas, such as farmlands or grasslands interspersed with scattered trees, which provide optimal conditions for when hawks hunt.

When it comes to their diet, Broad-winged Hawks feed on small rodents like mice, rats, squirrels, rabbits, and voles. Broad winged hawks breed during the spring and summer months then migrate to central and south America.

Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

Cooper’s Hawk scientific name Accipiter cooperii
Cooper’s Hawk range map credit https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

Listen:

credit https://xeno-canto.org/580820

The Cooper’s Hawk is a medium-sized bird of prey native to North America. Known for its agility and speed, it is part of the Accipitridae hawk species, which also includes other hawks, eagles, and kites.

Cooper’s Hawks are typically about 14 to 20 inches in length, with a wingspan ranging from 27 to 36 inches. They are known for their distinctive long, rounded tails and short, rounded wings. They have a steely blue gray top, with rusty bars on their underparts and thick, dark bands on their tails.

The Cooper’s Hawk is a skilled predator, primarily hunting birds and small mammals. They are adept at hunting in both dense forests and open areas, often catching prey mid-air in high-speed pursuits. They have also been known to visit the backyard bird feeder, not for the seed, but to prey on the smaller birds that gather there.

Cooper’s Hawks often build nests in dense tree canopies where they are well concealed. The female usually lays 3 to 5 eggs, and both parents share incubation duties. The young hawks fledge after about a month but will stay close to the nest, relying on their parents for food as they learn to hunt.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

Sharp-shinned Hawk Scientific name accipter striatus
Sharp-shinned Hawk range map credit https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

Listen:

credit https://xeno-canto.org/626062

The adult bird is brown on top and white underneath, with a dark brown band across its chest. It has short, rounded wings and a long tail that makes it look larger than it actually is. Adult sharp shinned hawks have black eyes, which are surrounded by white feathers. The female Sharp-shinned Hawk is browner than the male, who has darker brown markings on his back.

Sharp-shinned Hawks prefer open country for their habitat, including fields and meadows where they can hunt for mice and other small animals. They can be found throughout the United States but are most common in the east.

Sharp-shinned Hawks eat mostly small birds, such as sparrows and warblers, as well as small mammals such as mice and gophers. They catch prey by surprise using their incredible speed and agility, diving out of the sky at speeds up to 200 mph.

Sharp-shinned Hawks have an unusual hunting style for hawks—they prefer to catch their prey from perches above trees or telephone wires, rather than swooping down from above like most other hawks do and can often be seen hunting near bird feeders.

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Red-shouldered Hawk Scientific name buteo lineatus
Red-shouldered Hawk range map credit https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

Listen:

credit https://xeno-canto.org/712976

The red-shouldered hawk are medium sized birds of prey, part of the buteo hawks family. It can be distinguished from other hawks by its reddish iris and pale legs.

The adult has rusty red upperparts, white underparts, a black chin and throat, and a reddish brown stripe over each eye, reddish brown heads and a strongly banded tail. The tail is reddish brown with two paler bands across it and they have white checkered wings. Juveniles are brown with dark barring and have pale fringes on the feathers of their wings.

Red-shouldered hawks nest in trees, though they also inhabit manmade structures including barns, bridges, and buildings. They prefer wooded areas with an open canopy but will use other places as well for nesting such as shrubs and hedges if needed.

The red-shouldered hawk’s diet – they eat small mammals such as ground squirrels, rabbits, voles, mice and rats. They also eat birds such as quail, pigeons and doves; reptiles including snakes; amphibians; fish; crustaceans; insects; and carrion (dead animals).

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)

Northern Harrier Scientific name circus hudsonius
Northern Harrier range map credit https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

Listen:

credit https://xeno-canto.org/143657

The Northern Harrier is a medium-sized, slender hawk.

Adult birds are gray above, with pale bars on the wing feathers and white markings on the underwings and a white rump patch. The breast is barred with black and white, and the belly is streaked with brown.

They prefer open areas, such as grasslands and marshes, but can be found in almost any open habitat except dense woods.

Northern Harriers are opportunistic hunters that feed on small mammals such as mice, voles and rabbits as well as birds including quail, grouse and ducks. They hunt by flying low over open spaces such as fields or marshes.

Northern harrier nests on the ground in lowlands or hillsides near water bodies. It lays two to four eggs which hatch after 24 days of incubation by both parents. The chicks fledge after 30 days of hatching and remain dependent on their parents for another three weeks during which they learn how to fly.

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)

northern goshawk scientific name Accipiter gentilis
Northern Goshawk range map credit https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

Listen:

credit https://xeno-canto.org/484611

The Northern Goshawk is a medium-sized hawk that is found in North America, Europe and Asia. It has brown eyes, a large sharp beak, and dark brown plumage on its upperparts and head, with white underparts that are spotted with brown barring. Its tail feathers are grayish-black with a dark band near the tip.

Northern goshawks eat squirrels, rabbits, grouse, woodchucks and other small mammals like voles or mice (which they often eat whole). They will also take larger prey such as deer fawns or even adult deer if they have no other choice. They have broad wings with long feathers that allow them to glide through the air when they catch their prey. They also have an excellent sense of smell which helps them locate their food source.

The Northern Goshawk builds its nest in a tree cavity or on a ledge, usually on the edge of an open area so it can easily see prey below. The female lays 3 to 5 eggs over two days and incubates them for 28 to 30 days while the male brings food to her every few hours until they hatch. The young fledge after about 6 weeks and leave the nest when they are about 10 weeks old.

Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)

Rough-legged Hawk scientific name Buteo lagopus
Rough-legged Hawk range map credit https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

Rough-legged Hawk Sound

credit https://xeno-canto.org/666513

The Rough-legged Hawk is a large, raptor that is native to North America. It is also known as the American Rough-legged Hawk. Scientific Name: Buteo lagopus

The Rough-legged Hawk is a medium-sized hawk with a distinctive appearance, with dark brown feathers on its back and light brown feathers on its underside and broad thin wings. The hawk’s legs are also covered in dark feathers, which help to distinguish it from other species of hawk. The tail is barred with black and white. They have yellow eyes and dark feet.

Rough-legged Hawks hunt from above ground level, swooping down to catch its prey in its talons. When hunting for food, they prefer to eat small mammals such as squirrels and rabbits but will also eat birds if there aren’t any small mammals available. Although they eat a variety of small animals including birds, rodents, bats and reptiles, they rely heavily on fish for food during breeding season because it provides them with protein and calcium needed to produce eggs.

Where to Spot Hawks in Vermont 

Mount Philo State Park: As Vermont’s oldest state park, this location offers panoramic views where birdwatchers can spot Red-tailed Hawks, Broad-winged Hawks, and Sharp-shinned Hawks.

Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area: Located in Addison, this area is known for hosting an array of hawks including Northern Harriers and Cooper’s Hawks, especially during migration seasons.

Snake Mountain: Nestled in Addison County, this location is a popular spot for sighting Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, and Broad-winged Hawks.

Putney Mountain: Known for its annual hawk migration, you can find a variety of species including Red-shouldered Hawks and Red-tailed Hawks.

Neighbouring StateBest Hawk Spotting Site
Massachusetts HawksWachusett Mountain State Reservation
New Hampshire HawksPack Monadnock Raptor Observatory
New York HawksCentral Park, New York City

Latest posts