Hawks in Texas

Did you know that there are over 100 different species of hawks in the United States? That’s a lot! Some hawk species fly close to the ground, while others soar high above it. There are also some different kinds of hawks that you might not have heard of before either. In this blog post, I’m going to cover what each type is, where they are found in Texas and how often they can be seen by Texans.

Do hawks in Texas have something in common?

Yes, all hawks in Texas share one common trait. They are all predatory birds of prey. This means that they eat other animals for food. Hawks have sharp talons and beaks which help them tear their prey apart. They also have strong wings which allow them to fly great distances to find food.

What makes a hawk different from other birds?

Well, there are several differences between hawks and most other kinds of bird species. For example;

• Hawks have sharp talons which allow them to grasp prey tightly so they can kill it with their powerful beak
• Many hawks don’t build nests for their eggs like many other kinds of birds do instead they usually lay their eggs on top of high perches or in old woodpecker holes
• The average lifespan for most hawks is around five years but some can live up to twenty years. 

Some people consider this record-breaking lifespan as cheating because these raptors are protected by federal laws.

Common birds found in Texas.

There are several different types of hawks in Texas. They include;

The Red-tailed Hawk

The red-tailed hawk is the most common type of hawk in Texas and can generally be spotted throughout the year. They prefer open habitats with trees, but will also live near fields or pasture land for hunting prey. Their diet consists primarily of small mammals like rodents, rabbits, groundhogs or squirrels which they easily capture thanks to their large talons and excellent eyesight.

The Red-shouldered Hawk

A red-shouldered hawk is slightly smaller than a red-tailed hawk but has very similar markings. They are usually found in wooded areas near swamps or marshes where they can easily capture prey like amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals.

During mid-day hours these birds rest on high perches so they can watch for potential food sources below them. Swainson’s hawk is often seen in the same area with red-shouldered hawks.

The Swainson’s Hawk

Swainson’s hawks are the most widespread hawk species in North America. You can find them throughout Texas during the summer months. These are very large birds that can grow up to two feet long and have a wingspan of nearly five feet across. They prefer open habitats with little vegetation but will also live near agricultural land where they hunt mammals like mice, voles, or rabbits.

Since these hawks fly at high altitudes while hunting prey it helps them avoid being detected by their potential food sources on the ground below them. Their coloration makes this bird easily camouflaged when gliding above grasslands which helps conceal its presence so prey won’t hear or see it coming before it strikes.

Broad Winged Hawks

These are special hawks that migrate through Texas during the fall and spring months. They can be easily identified by their very broad wings which help them fly long distances with little effort. You can find these hawks near large bodies of water like lakes, reservoirs, or rivers where they hunt small fish, amphibians, and insects.

The Harris’s Hawk

Harris’s hawk is a medium-sized hawk that prefers to live in open woodlands or semi-arid habitats. These birds are unique because they form cooperative groups called “packs” which helps them successfully hunt prey larger than themselves. Their diet consists mainly of mammals like rats, rabbits, ground squirrels or prairie dogs but they will also eat reptiles, amphibians, and some kinds of birds.

The Ferruginous Hawk

Ferruginous hawks stay close to open grasslands with some trees around them which provide perches for hunting their prey or finding a safe spot to rest. You can find these birds in Texas during the winter months where they hunt small mammals like mice, hares, and pocket gophers. These raptors are also known as “Buteo Regalis” meaning regal buzzard because of their skill at catching avian prey during flight by stooping on it from great heights.

Rough Legged Hawks

The rough-legged hawk is another type of migratory hawk that visits Texas during the late fall through early spring seasons. They prefer habitats with little vegetation but will live near agricultural land where they can hunt prey like small mammals, rabbits, and ground squirrels.

Cooper’s Hawks

The Cooper’s hawk is a medium-sized raptor that lives in wooded areas near open spaces with some trees for perches to ambush their avian or mammalian prey. They prefer habitats with little vegetation but will live near agricultural land where they can hunt prey like mice, voles, rats, or rabbits.

Since these birds are very territorial you won’t find them living close together during nesting season which runs from April through June each year. Their nests are usually built high up on large branches of the tallest trees to ensure safety while incubating eggs and raising young ones after hatching occurs. The Sharp-shinned Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawks

The Sharp-shinned hawks are small raptors that prefer to live in wooded areas near open spaces with some trees for perches. These birds tend to be territorial during nesting season which runs from late February through April each year. They can also be found flying close together while migrating southward or northward depending on the time of year.

The Gray Hawk

Gray Hawks have a white face, brown back, and light gray underparts making them very easy to identify by sight alone because they stand out from other species of hawk that share their habitat preference here in Texas. If you see one of these birds it is definitely a gray hawk so there’s no mistaking what kind of bird it is you spot one perched upon a tree branch.

The White Tailed Hawk

White-tailed Hawks are large raptors that prefer to live in open woodlands or semi-arid habitats but will also visit urban areas with some trees nearby for perches where they can hunt prey like small mammals, rabbits, and ground squirrels. They tend to be territorial during nesting season which runs from late March through May each year. You can find these birds flying close together while migrating southward or northward depending on the time of year as well.

These hawks only grow up to 22 inches tall so if you spot one it’ll be easy to identify by sight alone because they stand out from other species of hawk that share their habitat preference here in Texas.

The Northern Harrier

Northern harriers are medium-sized raptors that prefer to live in open habitats with some trees nearby for perches where they can hunt their prey like rabbits, small mammals, ground squirrels, and reptiles. Their nesting season is from March through May and October through December each year so you’ll likely spot them flying together while migrating northward or southward during the fall and spring seasons of the year.

They also have unique white tail markings which help these birds stand out easily when spotted perched upon a tree here in Texas.

The Zone Tailed Hawk

Zone-tailed hawks have a unique black and white-colored tails which help them stand out easily when spotted perched upon a branch of a tree here in Texas. If you see one of these birds it is definitely a zone-tailed hawk so there’s no mistaking what kind of bird it is you spot one perched upon a tree branch.

Well, these are some of the different types of hawks that can be found here in Texas.