Telling the difference between a red-tailed hawk and a peregrine falcon can be challenging for bird enthusiasts. Both are large, predatory birds with similar coloring that occupy overlapping habitats across North America. However, there are several key physical differences between these two raptors that can help you identify them.
Size and Shape
The most noticeable difference between red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons is their size and proportions. Red-tailed hawks are significantly larger, with adults reaching 19-25 inches in length with a wingspan of 48-56 inches. They have relatively broad, rounded wings and a stout, barrel-chested body. Peregrine falcons are more slender and compact, measuring 15-21 inches in length with a wingspan of 39-43 inches. Their pointed wings are long and slender like a fighter jet.
When seen flying overhead, the broader shape and larger size of a red-tailed hawk is quite evident compared to the more streamlined peregrine. Perched red-tails often appear hunched due to their bulk, while peregrines maintain a proud, upright posture.
Color Patterns
Both red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons display a lot of variation in their plumage. However, some consistent differences can help distinguish them:
- Adult red-tailed hawks are most recognized by their reddish-brown tail, which contrasts with their darker brown back and wings. Some individuals display a dark belly band.
- Peregrine falcons lack the red tail and instead have more uniform slate blue-gray upperparts. Their undersides range from whitish to lightly barred gray.
- Red-tailed hawk heads are primarily light with dark streaks. Peregrine heads are darker gray with thick moustache stripes.
- Red-tailed hawks have a pale throat patch not seen on peregrines.
Younger birds can be harder to differentiate, but juvenile red-tails retain the broad shape and bulky body of adults. Young peregrines resemble adults but with browner plumage above and more streaks below.
Flight Style and Hunting
The flight styles of red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons are distinct for birds that hunt by sight. Red-tailed hawks typically soar in wide circles using their broad wings to take advantage of thermals and updrafts. They will perch semi-motionless for long periods scanning for prey before dropping down to attack. Peregrines are much more active aerialists, capable of reaching speeds over 200 mph when diving vertically on prey. Even during routine flight they appear energetic, beating their tapered wings rapidly as they aggressively chase birds.
These different flight styles relate to the typical prey of each species. Red-tailed hawks focus on small mammals like rodents, rabbits, and snakes that they spot while soaring high above open country. Peregrines specialize in catching other birds in flight such as pigeons, ducks, and songbirds across many habitats.
Habitats
Both red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons occupy diverse habitats across North America. However, some patterns in their preferred ranges emerge:
- Red-tailed hawks thrive in open areas like fields, parks, and roadsides from sea level up to high elevations. They avoid dense forest.
- Peregrines inhabit some forests but are also found along coasts, wetlands, cities, and mountain cliffs. They require high nest sites.
- Red-tailed hawks are widespread and common across most of the continental United States and southern Canada.
- Peregrine falcons were endangered but have recovered after their protection; they are now found patchily across much of North America.
So while you may see red-tailed hawks almost anywhere there is open sky, peregrine falcons are rarer and found in specific habitats like mountains and coastal areas.
Vocalizations
The characteristic calls of red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons provide helpful identification clues in the field:
- Red-tailed hawks deliver a loud, raspy scream that sounds like “keeeeee-arrr.” It is perhaps the most recognizable raptor call.
- Peregrine falcons make louder, shorter calls more like “kak kak kak” or “keh keh keh.” Their vocalizations are higher-pitched.
Listening for these distinct voices can confirm a visual ID or alert you to a bird’s presence before you see it. Red-tailed hawk calls carry for long distances across open country, while peregrines may call more frequently near nest sites.
Range Maps
Comparing range maps helps clarify the distributions of red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons across North America:
| Species | Breeding Range | Winter Range |
|---|---|---|
| Red-tailed Hawk | Found across almost all of North America except for some northern parts of Canada, Alaska, and offshore islands. Ranges south to Panama. | Mostly remains within breeding range year-round, with some seasonal shifts farther south. Northern birds may migrate south of Canada. |
| Peregrine Falcon | Patchy distribution across much of western North America, parts of the eastern seaboard, and some mountainous areas. Ranges south to Mexico. | Partially migratory, with many birds wintering along coasts from the U.S. south through Middle America and the Caribbean. Scarce in winter across much of the continental interior. |
These maps make it clear that red-tailed hawks occupy a much broader swath of North America than peregrine falcons, especially during the breeding season. Red-tailed hawks are found virtually everywhere except for the high Arctic, while peregrines are regional.
Behavioral Traits
Some typical behavioral differences between red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons include:
- Perching: Red-tailed hawks often perch prominently in open areas on poles, fence posts, or lone trees. Peregrines perch on cliffs, buildings, or sometimes concealed in trees.
- Territoriality: Red-tailed hawks are fiercely territorial around nest sites. Peregrines are less territorial and nest closer together, especially in cities.
- Prey handling: Red-tails eat prey where caught. Peregrines carry birds to nests or perches to pluck them.
- Migration: Most red-tailed hawks stay put year-round. Peregrines are partial migrants that travel farther distances.
These different hunting, nesting, movement, and behavioral patterns reflect the separate evolutionary histories that shaped red-tailed hawks to thrive in open country and peregrines to master speed and aerial agility.
Nest Sites
The nesting habits of red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons provide some clear distinctions:
- Red-tailed hawks construct large, messy stick nests high up in trees. They often reuse and expand the same nest for years.
- Peregrines do not build stick nests. They scrape out a shallow depression on cliff ledges or sheltered building sites called a scrape.
- Red-tailed hawk nests are bulky structures up to several feet across. Peregrine scrapes are just indented areas.
- Peregrines heavily favor cliffs or tall buildings for nesting while red-tails mainly use trees.
Nest sites are closely tied to the preferred habitats of each species. The open country frequented by red-tails provides adequate trees for nesting, while peregrines require high rocky cliffs or urban towers and skyscrapers.
Conclusion
Red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons represent two of North America’s most powerful and iconic raptors. They occupy many of the same regions yet have evolved distinct adaptations in terms of size, proportions, plumage, flight style, diet, habitat use, and nesting habits. With a little practice, birders can quickly recognize a soaring red-tail or aerial peregrine even at a distance based on their size, shape, behavior, and flight style. Up-close, subtle differences in color patterns help confirm the identification. Understanding the key contrasts between these two impressive birds provides valuable insights into their ecology and evolutionary history across the diverse landscapes of North America.
