Little birds out in the open, focused on stuffing their bills? The hawks are practically being fed on a silver platter! Although they aren’t opposed to eating smaller birds, their favorites are larger species, such as doves, starlings, robins, jays, grouse, quail, and chickens.Ĭooper’s Hawks can be found throughout much of Washington State year-round, though in the northern parts of the state they are only around to breed in the warmer months. Their power, paired with agility and stealth, make them formidable predators and they can shoot through the treetops, chasing prey at super speeds.ĭon’t be surprised if a Cooper’s hawk swoops down onto your backyard feeders. Cooper’s Hawks have a flatter head and rounded tail, which can help distinguish the two.Ĭooper’s hawks are some of the most able and skilled fliers in the bird world. It’s not uncommon for there to be discrepancies between large female sharpies and small male Cooper’s, since female hawks are larger than males. You may also like: Venomous Snakes in Tennessee (4 Species)Ĭooper’s Hawks are very similar to the Sharp-shinned Hawks in looks with a steely blue back and wings and reddish barring on the belly, but Cooper’s are larger overall. Adult light-morph males feature white underparts and gray-brown uppers, while dark-morphs are typically dark brown all over with the exception of their underwings. In North America there are many color variations in plumage, including light and dark morphs. When in flight they hold their wings in a “V” shape, and their tails fan out. ![]() Their tails are longer than most buteos, though, and their feet and beaks are small. Rough-legged Hawks are large buteo hawks, with stocky bodies and long, broad wings. Along with Golden Eagles, these hawks are the only raptors in America that feature feathers along their legs and all the way down to their talons. ![]() Rough-legged Hawks get their name from their feathered legs that help them stay warm in the frigid north. Their populations are pretty variable from year to year and often depend on how abundant lemmings, a major food source, are in the Arctic. It’s during the winter they’re found in Washington State, though they tend to be harder to spot than other species. However, during the fall they migrate south to spend the winter in the much of the United States and southern Canada. For most of the year they’re found in the open Arctic tundra, where they also breed. Rough-legged Hawks have a non-breeding range throughout all of Washington State. Rough-legged Hawk Photo by: DickDaniels | CC 3.0 They were once known as “cooks hawks” because of their excellent ability to bring in meat to cook.Ģ. Northern Goshawks have been popular to use in hunting by falconers for over 2000 years. They are often considered to be symbols of strength, and even Attila the Hun had the image of one adorned on his helmet. Northern Goshawks have mostly gray plumage, with bright red eyes and bold white stripes that give them the appearance of having eyebrows. Though they are the most widespread accipiter in the world, they live in large, dense forests and tend to remain out of sight, so finding them is not easy. However, Northern Goshawks are much bigger than these other accipiters, and are in fact the largest accipiters in North America. Like Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper’s Hawks, Northern Goshawks are also accipiters, and have rounded wings and long tails. Northern Goshawks can be found throughout all of Washington State, at various times of the year. Northern Goshawk Photo by: Francesco Veronesi | CC 2.0 The 8 species of hawks found in Washington State are the Swainson’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, and the Ferruginous Hawk. ![]() Let’s take a look at these amazing birds of prey! In this article we’ll answer that very question and show you the 8 different hawks in Washington State, as well as learn a little bit about each species! Whether you’re a bird enthusiast, resident to the state, or just simply curious, you may be wondering what types of hawks live in Washington State.
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