Swainson's Hawk

Swainson's Hawk, adult

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Swainson's Hawk, light-morph

Swainson's Hawk juvenile

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A common small hawk of the West, the Swainson's Hawk gathers in huge congregations to migrate more than 10,000 km to its wintering grounds in South America.

Description

• Medium-sized hawk.
• Body stout.
• Wings broad.
• Rounded tail medium-long.
• Dark flight feathers contrast with pale inner wing.
• Dark chest band.
• Tail light with multiple thin dark bands, one darker and broader near tail tip.
• Face white.

• Size: 48-56 cm (19-22 in)
• Weight: 693-1367 g (24.46-48.26 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes similar in plumage, female larger.

Sound

Call a high-pitched, long drawn out raspy "kreeeee."

Conservation Status

Declining throughout much of its range. Vulnerable to pesticide poisoning, especially on its wintering grounds. The use of pesticides in Argentina was responsible for the deaths of nearly 6,000 Swainson's Hawks in 1995 and 1996.

Other Names

Buse de Swainson (French)
Aguilucho Langostero, Gavilán Longostero, Aguililla de Swainson (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Swainson's Hawk, declining throughout much of its range, is vulnerable to pesticide poisoning, especially on its wintering grounds. The use of pesticides in Argentina was responsible for the deaths of nearly 6,000 Swainson's Hawks in 1995 and 1996.

• Swainson's Hawk chicks frequently kill and eat the youngest nestlings. The killing of siblings may be related to food availability, but the ultimate cause is unknown.

• The Swainson's Hawk congregates in tremendous numbers during migration. Foraging and migrating flocks sometimes number into the thousands.

• Swainson's Hawk has one of the longest migrations of any American raptor - from Canada to Argentina. Only tundra breeding Peregrine Falcons travel farther. A Swainson's Hawk can make the 10,000 km trip (6214 mi) in less than two months, averaging nearly 200 km (124 mi) per day.

Sources used to construct this page:

England, A. S., M. C. Bechard, and C. S. Houston. 1997. Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni). In The Birds of North America, No. 265 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.