Spreading over rolling farm country, thick forests, and mountainous terrain, Pennsylvania is a biodiversity hot spot in America, with a staggering array of habitats for Hawks in Pennsylvania along major flight paths. Therefore, this variety is supported by an impressive list of birds, making Pennsylvania a birdwatcher’s haven.
Accipitridae bird-of-prey family members, hawks are excellent with their keen eyesight and acute hearing, and they are very effective predators. Additionally, their feathers usually exhibit subtle similarities between the sexes, although females usually become larger, with slight but apparent dimorphism.
Spotted throughout the world, hawks comprise many species, several of which have been documented in the United States and at least 10 consistently spotted in Pennsylvania. Though uncommon vagrants will sometimes catch birders off guard, the state’s everyday hawks enchant with their power and elegance.
With world-famous protected areas such as Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and top birding spots, Pennsylvania provides unmatched opportunities to see these impressive raptors in their natural habitats. As such, this guide covers 10 hawk species commonly encountered in PA, discussing their habits, habitats, ecological functions, and conservation issues.
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” – Isaiah 40:31
Key Takeaways:
- Pennsylvania hosts diverse hawk species, including Red-tailed and Cooper’s Hawks.
- Hawks thrive in forests, fields, and suburban areas across the state.
- They regulate rodent and insect populations, benefiting agriculture and ecosystems.
- Migration events, like Broad-winged Hawk kettles, draw birdwatchers to PA.
- Conservation efforts protect hawks from habitat loss and pollution.
1. Red-tailed Hawk – The Sky’s Dominant Predator:
- Scientific Name: Buteo jamaicensis
- Life Span: 10–20 years
- Size: 18–26 in (45–65 cm)
- Weight: 24–51 oz (690–1460 g)
- Wingspan: 43–57 in (110–145 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Small mammals, birds, reptiles
- Behavior: Solitary, territorial
- Habitat: Open fields, woodlands, highways
Red-tailed Hawks dominate Pennsylvania’s skies. They are easy to identify with their wide wings and reddish tails. They prefer to perch on telephone poles or soar in wide circles hunting for food such as mice and voles.
Farmers appreciate their ability to manage rodents, lowering crop losses. Both rural and suburban habitats suit them, as they live in PA year-round, even in extreme winters. Their shrieking calls reverberate over fields, announcing their presence. Birdwatchers commonly see them on highways, making them a common sight.
2. Cooper’s Hawk – The Forest’s Silent Stalker:
- Scientific Name: Accipiter cooperii
- Life Span: 8–12 years
- Size: 14–20 in (35–50 cm)
- Weight: 8–24 oz (220–680 g)
- Wingspan: 24–35 in (62–90 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Small birds, mammals
- Behavior: Agile, secretive
- Habitat: Forests, suburban backyards
Cooper’s Hawks are experts at stealth in Pennsylvania woods. Their streamlined bodies and squared-off tails enable quick turns through thick trees. The hawks hunt small birds, frequently ambushing them at backyard bird feeders.
Suburban development has rendered them conspicuous, as they conform to man’s environment. Their evasive habit makes bird watchers work, yet their sudden, darting flights are impossible to miss. Through population regulation of songbirds, they achieve a balance in woodland ecosystems.
“The hawk’s keen eye sees all, a silent guardian of the forest.” – John James Audubon
3. Broad-winged Hawk – The Migratory Spectacle:
- Scientific Name: Buteo platypterus
- Life Span: 12–18 years
- Size: 13–17 in (34–44 cm)
- Weight: 9–20 oz (265–560 g)
- Wingspan: 31–39 in (80–100 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Insects, small mammals, amphibians
- Behavior: Social during migration
- Habitat: Deciduous forests
Broad-winged Hawks create a stunning display during migration. Each fall, they form “kettles,” large swirling flocks, visible at places like Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. These hawks breed in PA’s deciduous forests, nesting high in trees.
Their diet, rich in insects, helps curb pest populations. After breeding, they migrate to South America, following PA’s ridges for thermal lifts. Their social behavior during migration draws crowds of birdwatchers annually.
4. Sharp-shinned Hawk – The Petite Powerhouse:
- Scientific Name: Accipiter striatus
- Life Span: 5–10 years
- Size: 9–13 in (23–34 cm)
- Weight: 3–8 oz (85–220 g)
- Wingspan: 17–23 in (42–58 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Small birds
- Behavior: Fast, elusive
- Habitat: Coniferous forests, suburbs
Sharp-shinned Hawks, the smallest in PA, pack a punch. Their compact size belies their ferocity as they chase songbirds through trees. Often mistaken for Cooper’s Hawks, they’re distinguished by their smaller frames.
In winter, they frequent suburban feeders, hunting unwary birds. Their agility in dense forests makes them hard to spot, but their rapid flights catch the eye. These hawks help regulate bird populations, supporting forest ecosystems.
“The hawk, though small, commands the air with unmatched precision.” – Rachel Carson
5. Northern Harrier – The Marshland Glider:
- Scientific Name: Circus hudsonius
- Life Span: 7–12 years
- Size: 18–20 in (41–50 cm)
- Weight: 10–26 oz (290–750 g)
- Wingspan: 38–48 in (97–122 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Small mammals, birds
- Behavior: Low, gliding flight
- Habitat: Marshes, grasslands
Elegantly swooping over Pennsylvania’s marshes, Northern Harriers are intriguing to watch because of their singular hunting technique. Their owl-like facial discs, created by stiffened feathers, direct sound into their ears, distinguishing them from other hawks.
A telltale white rump patch flashes as they fly low over wetlands, making them inimitable. In contrast to most hawks that depend extensively on eyesight, Northern Harriers employ acute hearing to track voles, mice, and small birds in dense grasses.
Their auditory ability enables them to hunt efficiently in vegetation cover where eyesight alone cannot prevail. Wetlands in Pennsylvania, such as those in Erie County and the Pymatuning Reservoir, offer prime habitats, full of prey such as meadow voles and sparrows.
Their low, buoyant flight, usually a few feet off the ground, is economical in energy but spans large distances. At breeding time, males give spectacular sky-dancing shows, diving and rolling to entice females.
6. Red-shouldered Hawk – The Woodland Vocalist:
- Scientific Name: Buteo lineatus
- Life Span: 15–20 years
- Size: 16–24ionali
- Weight: 17–27 oz (486–774 g)
- Wingspan: 37–43 in (94–111 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Small mammals, amphibians, reptiles
- Behavior: Vocal, territorial
- Habitat: Riparian forests, swamps
Infilling Pennsylvania’s woodlands with their characteristic calls, Red-shouldered Hawks are a colorful splash. Their rust-red shoulders and boldly banded tails make a dramatic silhouette against the green foliage. These hawks prefer wet woodlands, frequently along streams or swamps, where they hunt frogs, small mammals, and reptiles with accuracy. Their territorial demonstrations, characterized by soaring spirals and swooping dives, indicate their dominance.
In places such as the Susquehanna River valley, they’re ubiquitous, adding to wetland diversity by regulating prey populations. Their nests, constructed high in mature trees, are safe for their young, with both parents taking turns to feed and guard fledglings.
Exceptionally loud, Red-shouldered Hawks employ their kee-yah calls to broadcast over dense woodland. Well-tolerant in fragmented environments, the species is known to occasionally nest within residential areas when sufficient cover is provided. Diet generalism enables it to capitalize on seasonal prey pulses, such as cicadas at summer emergences.
Conservation activities, for instance, the preservation of wetlands from human development, are crucial since their loss threatens their breeding places. Bird enthusiasts love their fearless visitation, particularly in sanctuaries such as Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, where their calls reverberate among the trees.
7. Rough-legged Hawk – The Winter Visitor:
- Scientific Name: Buteo lagopus
- Life Span: 10–15 years
- Size: 18–23 in (46–59 cm)
- Weight: 25–49 oz (720–1400 g)
- Wingspan: 52–57 in (132–145 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Small mammals, birds
- Behavior: Hovering flight
- Habitat: Open fields, tundra
Arriving in Pennsylvania every winter, Rough-legged Hawks flee their Arctic breeding habitats. Their feathered legs, an unusual characteristic in hawks, and hovering flight mark them as they sweep fields for voles and mice. Fields surrounding Gettysburg and other open spaces draw in these visitors, where their sharp vision detects prey at a distance. By regulating rodent populations, they play a natural pest control.
Flying thousands of miles from the tundra, Rough-legged Hawks are dependent on PA’s open terrain for hunting. Their speckled coloration, usually dark or light morphs, is well camouflaged to blend with white fields, facilitating stealth.
In contrast to resident hawks, they never nest in PA but instead return north in the spring. Their hovering, kite-like flight helps them save energy while hunting, a treat for birders such as at Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Preserving their open habitats from urbanization means their wintering haven is protected.
8. Northern Goshawk – The Forest Phantom:
- Scientific Name: Accipiter gentilis
- Life Span: 11–15 years
- Size: 20–26 in (50–66 cm)
- Weight: 22–48 oz (630–1360 g)
- Wingspan: 38–46 in (96–117 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Birds, small mammals
- Behavior: Aggressive, secretive
- Habitat: Mature forests
Eluding casual observers, Northern Goshawks haunt Pennsylvania’s deep forests. Their slate-gray plumage and piercing red eyes intimidate prey like birds and squirrels, which they pursue with powerful dives. Preferring mature forests, such as those in the Allegheny National Forest, they remain a rare sighting due to their secretive nature. Their predation controls prey populations.
Fiercely territorial, Northern Goshawks defend their domains with aggressive displays, sometimes attacking intruders. Their short wings and long tails enable agile maneuvers through dense timber, making them formidable hunters.
In PA, they favor unbroken woodlands, where prey like grouse and hares abound. Habitat fragmentation poses a threat, as they require expansive forests. Conservation efforts, like those in state forests, protect these habitats, ensuring the goshawk’s elusive presence endures for dedicated birders seeking a glimpse.
9. Swainson’s Hawk – The Rare Migrant:
- Scientific Name: Buteo swainsoni
- Life Span: 10–15 years
- Size: 19–22 in (48–56 cm)
- Weight: 24–48 oz (693–1367 g)
- Wingspan: 47–55 in (119–140 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Insects, small mammals
- Behavior: Social during migration
- Habitat: Grasslands, farmlands
Seldom seen in Pennsylvania, Swainson’s Hawks pass through during their epic migrations. Their long, pointed wings and slender bodies aid journeys from North American grasslands to South America. Stopping in PA’s open fields, they feed on insects and rodents.
Their rarity makes sightings thrilling, often reported at migration hubs like Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Their social behavior during migration, forming loose flocks, adds to the spectacle of their brief visits.
Embarking on one of the longest migrations among hawks, Swainson’s Hawks travel up to 14,000 miles round-trip. In PA, they favor farmlands and prairies, where grasshoppers and voles are plentiful. Their light or dark morphs vary, with lighter birds more common in the East.
Habitat loss in breeding grounds threatens their numbers, emphasizing the need to preserve stopover sites. Birders prize these fleeting encounters.
10. Ferruginous Hawk – The Occasional Wanderer:
- Scientific Name: Buteo regalis
- Life Span: 12–20 years
- Size: 22–27 in (56–69 cm)
- Weight: 34–73 oz (980–2070 g)
- Wingspan: 52–60 in (133–152 cm)
- Status: Least Concern
- Diet: Small mammals, birds
- Behavior: Solitary, soaring
- Habitat: Open plains, grasslands
Infrequently appearing in Pennsylvania, Ferruginous Hawks prefer western grasslands but sometimes stray east. Light-colored plumage and huge size—among the biggest hawks—make them noticeable upon sighting. Topping rural fields while soaring, they pursue rabbits and ground squirrels with forceful dives. In PA, they can be seen while migrating or under severe winter conditions and will venture into open spaces such as Lancaster County.
Pacing long distances, Ferruginous Hawks take advantage of PA’s fields when western habitats fail. Their wide wings and light, buoyant flight fit wellwith long forays, preserving energy while on the lookout for food. Unsocial migrants themselves, they take to the road singly, fostering mystery.
Habitat loss to agriculture endangers their central range. Uncommon sightings, usually in late fall, thrill birders at places such as Blue Mountain, where these giants temporarily fill the skies.
Where Do These Hawks Thrive in PA?
Hawks adapt to Pennsylvania’s varied landscapes. From forests to marshes, each species finds its niche. This section explores their habitats and how they utilize PA’s environments.
Forested Havens:
Cooper’s, Sharp-shinned, and Northern Goshawks dominate forests. Tall trees provide nesting and hunting grounds. PA’s deciduous and coniferous forests, like those in the Pocono Mountains, support these hawks year-round.
Open Fields and Farmlands:
Red-tailed, Rough-legged, and Swainson’s Hawks prefer fields. Open spaces allow clear prey detection. Rural areas like Lancaster County attract these hawks, where they perch on fences or soar above crops.
Wetlands and Marshes:
Northern Harriers and Red-shouldered Hawks favor wetlands. Marshes in Erie and swamps along the Delaware River provide prey-rich habitats. These areas sustain their unique hunting styles.
Why Are Hawks Crucial to PA’s Ecosystems?
Hawks are vital to Pennsylvania’s ecosystems because they regulate prey populations, supporting biodiversity and agricultural health. By preying on rodents, insects, and small birds, species like Red-tailed and Broad-winged Hawks prevent overgrazing and pest outbreaks, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
Their presence indicates robust habitats, as they require abundant prey and clean environments. From controlling voles in farmlands to balancing songbird numbers in forests, hawks in pa maintain ecological harmony, ensuring healthy wetlands, woodlands, and fields across PA.
Where can you spot Hawks in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania’s varied landscapes provide excellent hawk-watching areas. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary comes into its own during fall migration (September–November), with Broad-winged and Red-tailed Hawks along the Kittatinny Ridge.
Blue Mountain’s Bake Oven Knob and Waggoner’s Gap near Carlisle welcome Cooper’s and Red-shouldered Hawks. John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Philadelphia welcomes Northern Harriers throughout the year, and Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area welcomes Rough-legged Hawks in winter.
Recognize hawks by markings, flight, and size—Red-tailed Hawks have red tails, Northern Harriers reveal white rumps. Go in autumn for migration or winter for field hunters. Binoculars, eBird, and a field guide will be helpful. Remain 100 feet away from nests and fund conservation to conserve hawks.
FAQs:
What is the most common hawk in PA?
The Red-tailed Hawk is Pennsylvania’s most common hawk. You’ll often spot it soaring over fields or perched on roadside poles.
What does it mean when a hawk hangs around your yard?
A hawk in your yard is likely hunting small birds or rodents drawn to feeders. It signals a thriving local ecosystem with abundant prey.
Did I see a hawk or a falcon?
Hawks, like Red-tailed Hawks, have broad wings and soar, while falcons, like Peregrine Falcons, have pointed wings and fly fast. Compare size and flight style to identify them.
What attracts hawks to your yard?
Bird feeders, small mammals, and open spaces attract hawks. Tall trees or poles provide perches for hunting.
Final Thoughts:
Hawks in Pennsylvania are ecological heroes. From the Red-tailed Hawk’s rodent control to the Broad-winged Hawk’s migratory displays, each species enriches the state.
By supporting conservation and creating hawk-friendly spaces, we ensure their survival. Let’s celebrate and protect these soaring guardians of PA’s ecosystems.