8 Types Of Hawks In Illinois State (With Pictures)
Ever thought about the different hawks species in Illinois? This state is a hotspot for birds, with many raptors like the Red-Tailed Hawk and the Sharp-Shinned Hawk. These birds of prey have secrets and can be seen in Illinois. Let’s explore the eight amazing hawk species you can find here.
Hawks in Illinois
Illinois, known as the Prairie State, is home to many hawk species. These birds of prey can be seen all year, each with their own special traits. From the wide prairies to the thick forests, Illinois is perfect for hawks to live and grow.
1. Red-Tailed Hawk
- Scientific name: Buteo jamaicensis
- Life span: 10-15 years
- Size: (50-65 cm)
- Weight: (900-1460 g)
- Wingspan: (114-133 cm)
In Illinois, the red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a standout among hawks. It’s known for its rusty red tail and wide, brown-and-white wings. This large hawk is often seen soaring over the state’s different landscapes.
Identification and Physical Characteristics
The red-tailed hawk is Illinois’s second-largest hawk, with a wingspan up to 52 inches wide. It has dark brown back and pale underside feathers. Its short, broad tail is a bright reddish-brown, giving it its name.
Nesting Habits and Courtship Rituals
During the breeding season, red-tailed hawks show off with dramatic courtship displays. The male does aerial tricks to win over the female. They build big nests in tall trees or on cliffs for their eggs.
Diet and Hunting Techniques
Red-tailed hawks are versatile hunters. They eat small to medium mammals like rodents and rabbits. They also eat small birds and reptiles. These hawks use their sharp talons and great eyesight to catch prey from the ground or while flying.
2. Red-shouldered Hawk
- Scientific name: Buteo lineatus
- Life span: 19 years
- Size: (43-61 cm)
- Weight: (486-774 g)
- Wingspan: (94-111 cm)
The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a common sight in Illinois, living in the state’s forests. It’s a medium-sized raptor with a brownish head, a pale-striped reddish chest, and a long tail. These hawks love the deciduous swamps and bottomland hardwood forests of Illinois. They hunt for small mammals, crayfish, and small birds.
Red-shouldered hawks are known for being monogamous and very protective of their territory. They often use the same nest year after year. Researchers say their numbers are stable or growing in many places. They’ve even started to nest in cities.
But, the Audubon Climate Report warns that climate change could harm these hawks and other wildlife. Rising temperatures and losing their homes could be big problems. Conservationists and bird lovers need to watch these hawks closely to help them stay in Illinois.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Size | Medium-sized hawk, with a wingspan of 3.5 to 4 feet and a length of 16 to 24 inches. |
| Plumage | Brownish head, pale-striped reddish chest, and long tail with dark and light bands. |
| Habitat | Prefers deciduous swamps and bottomland hardwood forests in Illinois. |
| Diet | Feeds on small mammals, crayfish, and small birds. |
| Behavior | Monogamous and highly territorial, often reusing nests year after year. |
“The red-shouldered hawk’s population has been stable or increasing in many areas, with the species even adapting to nesting in urban environments.”
3. Sharp-Shinned Hawk
- Scientific name: Accipiter striatus
- Life span: 5 years
- Size: (24-34 cm)
- Weight:(87-218 g)
- Wingspan: (43-56 cm)
In Illinois, the sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) is a standout among hawks. It’s one of the smallest and most hidden raptors. This tiny bird is a pro at flying and catching small birds and mammals.
Nesting Behavior and Habitat Preferences
This hawk likes to stay hidden in dense forests during nesting season. They build their nests high in trees, using twigs and small branches. Their nests are hard to find because they’re hidden well.
Aerial Acrobatics and Prey Selection
Despite its small size, the sharp-shinned hawk is a great hunter. It can fly through thick plants and make sharp turns to catch birds in mid-air. They eat small songbirds like sparrows and warblers, often catching them from a tree or chasing them down.
This hawk is amazing to watch because of its flying skills and hunting ways. Bird lovers in Illinois might see this small hunter in action. It shows how diverse the hawk species are in the Land of Lincoln.
| Raptor Species | Status in Illinois | Primary Prey |
|---|---|---|
| Osprey | Threatened | Fishes |
| Mississippi Kite | Threatened | Insects, Frogs, Reptiles |
| Bald Eagle | Monitored | Fishes, Small Birds, Small Mammals, Turtles, Waterfowl |
| Northern Harrier | Endangered | Mice, Amphibians, Birds, Insects, Reptiles |
| Swainson’s Hawk | Endangered | Small Mammals, Insects |
Illinois works hard to keep raptors safe and their numbers strong. This helps them play their important roles in nature. By protecting these birds of prey, Illinois keeps its natural balance and makes it a great place for hawks.
4. Cooper’s Hawk
- Scientific name: Accipiter cooperii
- Life span: 12 years
- Size: (37-39 cm)
- Weight: (220-410 g)
- Wingspan: (62-90 cm)
The Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii) flies over Illinois cities, earning its nickname as the “backyard bandit.” It’s a medium-sized hawk known for its speed and hunting skills. It often sneaks up on small birds at backyard feeders.
Nesting Strategies and Territorial Behavior
During the breeding season, Cooper’s hawks show off with aerial displays. The male does high-flying tricks to win over the female. They build their nests in tall trees, sometimes using old nests or human-made platforms.
They are very protective of their nests. They will attack anyone who gets too close, including humans.
Diet and Hunting Tactics
Cooper’s hawks mainly eat small birds, catching them in the forest canopy. They are known for their quick moves, like changing direction suddenly or diving fast to catch their prey off guard. Their long tails and wide wings help them move through tight spaces, making them great hunters in Illinois.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Size and Shape | Medium-sized hawks with broad, rounded wings, and a very long tail. Larger than Sharp-shinned Hawks and about crow-sized, but males can be much smaller. |
| Occurrence | Specialist predators that primarily prey on birds, sometimes hunting at backyard feeders. |
| Color Pattern | Adult Cooper’s Hawks have steely blue-gray upperparts with warm reddish bars on the underparts and thick dark bands on the tail. Juveniles are brown above and streaked with brown on the upper breast. |
| Behavioral Patterns | Typically fly with a flap-flap-glide pattern, common among accipiters. Use attack maneuver tactics, such as flying fast and low to surprise prey. |
| Habitat | Inhabit wooded habitats ranging from deep forests to suburban areas and backyards. |
| Regional Differences | Cooper’s Hawks from western North America are notably smaller, weighing around one-fifth less than birds in the Eastern regions. |
5. Broad-Winged Hawk
- Scientific name: Buteo platypterus
- Life span: 12 years
- Size: (34-44 cm)
- Weight: (265-560 g)
- Wingspan: (81-100 cm)
As seasons change in Illinois, the Broad-Winged Hawk becomes a sight to see. This medium-sized raptor is known for its beautiful group movements in spring and fall. It has broad wings and a compact body, perfect for long journeys. It soars on warm air currents, traveling to and from its breeding grounds.
The Broad-Winged Hawk shows how important Illinois is for birds of prey migration. Hundreds of thousands of these hawks gather together, forming raptor migrations. This gathering of hawks in Illinois is a sight to behold in the prairie state wildlife.
The Broad-Winged Hawk doesn’t live in Illinois all year, but its visits are special. This broad-winged hawk reminds us of the need to protect the habitats of birds of prey in the Prairie State.
6. Northern Goshawk
- Scientific name: Accipiter gentilis
- Life span: 6 years
- Size: 20-9-25.2 in
- Weight: 22.3-48.1 oz
- Wingspan: 40.5-46.1 in
In Illinois’s lush forests, the Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is a secret and powerful hunter. It’s known for its hunting skills and blending into the forest canopy. This makes it seem like “the phantom of the forest.”
Physical Characteristics and Habitat Preferences
The Northern Goshawk is stunning with its grey feathers, bold eye stripe, and large size. Males are 49-56 cm long, and females are 58-64 cm. Their wings can span up to 105 cm for males and 120 cm for females. They weigh between 850 grams and 1.5 kilograms.
These hawks live in mature, dense forests. They use the thick foliage to hide their nests and hunt. They can spot prey from far away and chase it at speeds of up to 40 km/h.
“The Northern Goshawk is a true master of the forest, a silent and elusive hunter that commands respect from all who catch a glimpse of its impressive form.”
Northern Goshawks are rare in Illinois, making sightings special for birdwatchers. By learning about their unique traits and where they live, we can help protect these amazing hawks.
7. Rough-legged Hawk
- Scientific name: Buteo lagopus
- Life span: 3 years
- Size: 18.5-20.5 in
- Weight: 25.2-49.4 oz
- Wingspan: 52.0-54.3 in
When winter comes to the Prairie State, a special bird appears in the Illinois skies. This is the Rough-Legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus). It has feathered legs that look like “snow pants.” These hawks come from the Arctic to spend winter in Illinois.
This hawk is great at hunting. It flies over fields and marshes looking for small rodents like voles and mice. Its large wings and sharp eyes help it spot and catch its prey.
These hawks come in different colors, from very light to almost black. This helps them blend in with Illinois’ winter landscapes. Bird lovers enjoy seeing these hawks because of their unique looks.
The Rough-Legged Hawk is not always in Illinois, but its arrival means winter is here. Birdwatchers look forward to seeing these hawks. They are a sign of the diverse wildlife in Illinois.
Next time you’re out in Illinois during winter, watch for the Rough-Legged Hawk. These hawks are important to Illinois’ wildlife. They remind us of the beauty and change in nature.
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8. Swainson’s Hawk
- Scientific name: Buteo swainsoni
- Life span: 16-19 years
- Size: (48-56 cm)
- Weight: (693-1367 g)
- Wingspan: (117-137 cm)
The Swainson’s Hawk is a standout among Illinois’s migratory raptors. It breeds in the western United States and Canada. Then, it travels an amazing 7,100 miles (11,400 km) to Argentina for the winter.
Migration Patterns and Breeding Grounds
Swainson’s Hawks migrate in large groups, using thermal currents to save energy. They are not always in Illinois, but their visits show how vital the area is for them. These birds cross from North to South America during their migrations.
On average, there’s one breeding pair per 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²). They are faithful to their nesting sites, returning year after year. Both parents care for the eggs and their young until they leave the nest.
“Swainson’s Hawks travel around 6,000 miles (approximately 9,600 km) each way during migration, making it one of the longest migrations for any North American bird of prey.”
There are over 800,000 Swainson’s Hawks worldwide, but they face many dangers. These include habitat loss, pesticide poisoning, and collisions. The Peregrine Fund works hard to protect these migratory raptors and their journeys across the prairie state wildlife.
Observing and Appreciating Hawks in Illinois
Illinois is a great place for birdwatchers and nature lovers. You can see many hawk species here. From the big Red-Tailed Hawk flying over fields to the hidden Sharp-Shinned Hawk in forests, each hawk is special.
Learning about these raptors helps you connect with nature. It also helps protect them for the future. Illinois is perfect for watching the Hawks and learning about them.
Places like Illinois Beach State Park and Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary are great for seeing hawks. These spots have many bird species. By visiting and supporting conservation, you help protect these amazing birds.
