Hawk is a term that is defined for a large group of birds of prey of the order Falconiformes. As of now, 270 species of hawks has been identified seen in all continents of the world except Antarctica. All species of hawk family loves to thrive in marshes, forests, rainforests, prairies, open savannas, grasslands, mountains and coastal regions. There are many hawk species critically endangered because of deforestation and chemical pollution which induces the destruction of the eggs. Here is the list of types of hawks in the world,
Types Of Hawks
1.Red-Tailed Hawk
Red-Tailed Hawk is the largest hawk in the world that can wieght upto 2 to 4 pounds where female species are 1/3 larger than the male. The total wingspan of the hawk species is 56 inches. The diest of the species mostly includes small rodents and prefer nesting 35 to 75 feet high in the forks of large trees. The species is loudest when defending its nest and has a 2- to 3-second scream that is most commonly heard while soaring. The hawk’s average life span in the wild is 20 years. The young one remains in the nest for 48 days and in the last 10 days, it will practice flapping and even balancing in the wind.
2.Sharp-Shinned Hawk
One of the amazing types of hawks, Sharp-Shinned Hawk is small birds of prey native to the United States of America where it is mostly seen in North America, Central America, South America and the Greater Antilles. It loves to thrive in a wide range of woodland and forest types that is dominated by conifers and types of broad-leaved trees. The diest of the hawk species includes small birds such as sparrows, wood-warblers, finches, wrens, nuthatches, tits, icterids and thrushes. It is also seen eating rodents, lizards, frogs, snakes, large insects, and occasionally bats. It can grow upto 23 to 37 cm in length and wieght around 82 to 219 gms. The total wingspan of species is 3 to 13 years in the wild.
Image Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast
3.Cooper’s Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk belongs to the family hawks known as Accipiters and it is mostly prey on other birds. This medium-sized hawk can grow upto 14 to 20 inches in length where adults have a grey/blue back along with a white underside and horizontally streaked with rufous bars. The most common prey are bobwhites, starlings, blackbirds, chipmunks and squirrels. The hawk species has been named by Charles Bonaparte in 1828 after William Cooper who is responsible for collecting the specimen. It can grow upto 14 to 21 inches long along with a total wingspan of 27 to 36 inches. It is mostly seen in the regions of southern Canada to the southern part of the U.S.
4.Rough-Legged Hawk
Rough-Legged Hawk also known as the Rough-legged buzzard is a medium-sized bird of prey mostly seen in the regions of Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America, Europe, and Russia. Traditionally, it is also known as a rough-legged falcon in the work of John James Audubon’s The Birds of America. The hawk species prefers its nests on cliffs, bluffs or in trees. The diet includes mostly mammals and usually preys on kestrels, kites, and osprey. It can grow upto 46 to 60 cm in length with a total wingspan of 120 to 153 cm. The avarage weight of the hawk species is 600 to 1,660 gms where females are being larger and heavier than males. The avarage lifespan is 19 years in the wild.
Image Source: Wikimedia
5.Red-Shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered hawk has a courtship ritual where it will see flying together and there are instances when its roll over on their backs. It prefers nesting high in the trees especially in winters and springs and will decorate the best with the help of green plants. It is mostly seen in the regions of North America, generally south of the Great Lakes and east of central Minnesota. The diest includes primarily small rodents, amphibians, and reptiles. The hawk species is named for its reddish-brown shoulder patches.
6.Ferruginous Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk is the largest hawk species in North America where females are one-and-a-half times larger than males. Talking about the appearance, it has a rusty colour on their shoulders and back and down to their legs. It can grow upto 50 to 66 cm in length with a total wingspan of 134 to 152 cm. The avarage wieght of the hawk species is 980-2030 gms and the varage lifespan is 20 years in the wild. It is mostly seen in the western and central part of North America and loves to thrive in lowlands, plateaus, plains, valleys, agricultural land rolling hills of grassland, ranches, and the desert edges. It prefers hunting during the day and usually pairing up only during the breeding season.
7.Rufous Crab Hawk
Rufous Crab Hawk is also known as Aequinoctial Crab-hawk, Aequinoctial Hawk, Equinoctial Buzzard and Rufous Hawk. The hawk species is mostly seen in the regions of the South American coastline, from eastern Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago to southern Brazil. Talking about the appearance, it is dark brown with a rufous belly and yellow feet. One of the amazing types of hawks prefer to thrive in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical mangrove forest. The varage lifespan in the wild is unknown, however, it is 12 years in captivity. It can grow upto 42 to 47 cm in length with a total wingspan of 90 to 106 cm. It primarily fed on crabs, caught from a perch.
Image Source: Nick Athanas
8.Northern Goshawk
Northern Goshawk is a medium-sized raptor that belongs to the family Accipitridae. The hawk species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae in 1758 and the name goshawk comes from the traditional name from Anglo-Saxon goshafoc, literally “goose hawk.”It is seen in the regions of North America and Eurasia where they will prefer mountains and forests for thriving. As of now, 10 subspecies of northern goshawks are known with an avarage lifespan of 11 years in the wild and up to 27 years in captivity. Male Northern Goshawk can grow up to a length of 46 to 61 cm (18 to 24 in) with a total wingspan of 89 to 105 cm (35 to 41 in), however, females are the largest that can grow upto 58 to 69 cm (23 to 27 in) in length with a total wingspan of 108 to 127 cm (43 to 50 in). The avarage lifespan is 27 years in the wild.
9.Harris’s Hawk
Harris’s Hawk also known as the bay-winged hawk or dusky hawk and in Latin America, it is known as Petco. One of the different types of hawks breeds from the southwestern United States south to Chile, central Argentina, and Brazil. The diet includes rabbits, rodents, other birds and lizards. The predators are great horned owls, coyotes, common ravens, and bobcats. It used to build nests of sticks, dried weeds, grasses, and twigs in cacti, trees, bushes or man-made structures. The incubation period is 32-26 days and after that female lays 2-4 eggs. The avarage lifespan of the hawk species is between 15 and 20 years in the wild. It can grow upto 18-24 inches in length with a total wingspan of 3-4 feet and weighs 1.5-2.5 pounds. Female hawk species is larger than males.
10.African Harrier Hawk
African Harrier Hawk species are also known as harrier hawk or gymnogen is a bird of prey that can grow upto 60 to 66 centimetres in length and breeds mostly in Africa south of the Sahara. It is a medium-sized raptor where the upper parts, head and breast are pale greys and the belly is white with fine dark barring. It loves to thrive in natural woodland, tree plantations and urban areas. The nesting is preferred in the fork of a tree or the crown of a palm tree. The hawk species is omnivorous and loves feeding on the fruit of the oil palm as well as hunting small vertebrates longest lifespan reported is 16 years and 5 months.
Image Source: Wikimedia
These are the different types of hawks seen in the world. Kindly share and do post your comments.
