Left: 1st-year Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo linneatus) and Right: 1st-year Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)

1st-year Red-shouldered Hawk (L) and 1st-year Broad-winged Hawk (R)

1st-year Red-shouldered Hawk (L) and 1st-year Broad-winged Hawk (R)

Side-by-side, the Red-shouldered Hawk is a bigger bird with a longer tail - one that extends well beyond the primaries when perched. The thick malar smudge can be seen on both species at this age, but is a bit more conspicuous (and is retained longer) on a Red-shouldered Hawk. At this age, some slight reddish tones may be begin to appear on the shoulders of the Red-shouldered Hawk. Broad-winged Hawks remain brown all over.

Status and Distribution: Red-shouldered Hawks are fairly common permanent residents throughout the area, particularly around wet lowlands. Broad-winged Hawks are common migrants and rare summer residents. A few winter records of Broad-winged Hawks have occurred along the coastal bend region of Texas. No winter records have even been reported from North-central Texas.

Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk (Deloris Sellin)

Juvenile Broad-winged Hawk - September bird (Byron Stone)

Juvenile Broad-winged Hawk - December bird (Luciano Guerra)