What states do Red-shouldered Hawks live in?

The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a medium-sized hawk found in eastern and central North America. They are easily identified by their reddish-barred shoulders and belly band. Red-shouldered hawks inhabit mixed forests and wetlands where they forage for small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Their natural range covers most of the eastern United States and extends into southern Canada and northern Mexico. Red-shouldered hawks are year-round residents throughout most of their range.

What states do red-shouldered hawks live in?

Red-shouldered hawks can be found year-round in the following states:

The red-shouldered hawk is considered a permanent resident in these states, meaning they can be found year-round. The core of their range centers around the eastern United States, spanning from Texas to Florida and north up to Maine and southern Canada. States on the periphery of their natural range, such as Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kansas, have smaller breeding populations that are mostly restricted to riparian forests along major rivers.

Western Range Limit

On the western edge of their range, red-shouldered hawks inhabit eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, and southeastern Nebraska. Vagrants are occasionally spotted outside of the core breeding range in these states but established populations only occur where there are large tracts of deciduous forest. In Texas, red-shouldereds are common in forests of the Piney Woods and Post Oak Savannah ecoregions. The Red and Arkansas River basins provide crucial riparian habitat for breeding red-shoulders in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.

Northern Range Limit

In northern states, red-shouldered hawks range across New England into southern Quebec and Ontario. They can be found in areas with a mix of forest and open wetlands throughout Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Established breeding populations exist in southern Ontario and Quebec but become increasingly sporadic further north. Vagrants are rarely sighted in the Maritime Provinces of eastern Canada. The northern limits of their range are restricted by lack of large continuous forest habitat and harsh winter conditions.

Southern Range Limit

Throughout the southeastern United States from Texas to Florida, red-shouldered hawks occupy a wide variety of wooded lowland habitats. Bottomland hardwood forests, swamps, marshes, and riparian woodlots provide ample habitat. They are common permanent residents of southeastern coastal plain forests from Louisiana to South Carolina. On the Florida peninsula, red-shouldereds can be found statewide wherever patches of forest remain. Their range extends south into the Florida Keys as well as forested areas of Mexico such as northeastern Tamaulipas.

Breeding Habitat Preferences

Within their broad geographic range, red-shouldered hawks occupy specific habitats during the breeding season. They tend to favor deciduous or mixed forests with a dense canopy and an open understory. Access to wetlands, rivers, streams or ponds is also important as they provide drinking and bathing sites. Some key habitats used for nesting include:

Riparian Forests

Floodplain forests along rivers and streams offer ideal nesting habitat across much of the red-shouldered hawk’s range. Trees such as eastern cottonwood, willow oak, and sycamore dominate the canopy. The nearby waterway provides food sources like fish, frogs, and crayfish. Red-shoulders often reuse the same nesting territories for many years.

Bottomland Hardwood Forests

In the southeastern United States, expansive bottomland forests lined many major rivers before widespread logging. Remaining large tracts still support good populations of nesting red-shouldered hawks. Characteristic trees of these habitats include baldcypress, tupelo, and swamp chestnut oak.

Swamps and Marshes

Coastal swamps and inland marshes are occupied by red-shouldered hawks, especially if wooded patches are interspersed throughout. They forage over open wet areas and nest along forested edges. In Florida, cypress dome swamps are frequently used.

Suburban Parks

As forests have become fragmented, red-shouldered hawks have adapted to nesting in smaller woodlots. Parks and preserves surrounded by urban or suburban development provide adequate habitat in many areas. However, nest success is typically lower than in more remote sites.

Pine-Hardwood Forests

In the southeastern coastal plain and Texas, open pine forests mixed with deciduous trees offer suitable habitat. Longleaf pine savannas historically supported many red-shouldered hawk nests. Today they utilize second-growth pine forests as well.

Wintering Distribution and Habitat

The winter range of red-shouldered hawks is similar but not identical to their breeding range. Red-shouldereds are short-distance migrants, generally migrating several hundred miles between their breeding and wintering grounds. However, specific winter habitat preferences differ somewhat from breeding sites.

Where do red-shouldered hawks winter?

Most red-shouldered hawks winter throughout their breeding range in the southeastern and south-central United States. The majority are year-round residents wherever open water and sufficient prey persists through winter. Migrants tend to move south and towards the coasts from the colder interior and northern areas.

Important wintering areas include:

• Coastal forests from Texas to North Carolina
• Swamps and marshes of Florida and the Gulf Coast
• Riparian forests of the lower Mississippi River Valley
• Woodlots and suburban areas with ample prey

Some red-shoulders that nest inland in the Midwest migrate east towards more coastal areas such as Florida and the Carolinas in winter. Likewise, those that breed in New England and upstate New York tend to shift southward for the winter. Migrants begin returning to breeding territories by late February and into March.

Winter Habitat

Compared to the dense, closed canopy forests used for nesting, red-shouldered hawk winter habitats are more varied. While they continue to use forested wetlands in the south, they also utilize:

• Open woodlands
• Partially flooded fields
• Forest edges
• Residential areas

Access to plentiful small mammal prey seems to be a more important factor than forest structure during winter. Red-shoulders still require trees for perching but occupy more open habitats as long as food is abundant. In northern areas, south-facing slopes that warm early and provide updrafts for soaring are often used.

Population and Conservation Status

Once severely impacted by DDT poisoning and wetland loss, red-shouldered hawk populations have rebounded significantly across most of their range. Ongoing threats include habitat loss and fragmentation as well as competition with other hawks. Their adaptability to suburban areas has likely contributed to increasing populations.

Population Trends

Red-shouldered hawk populations dropped sharply between the 1940s and 1970s as DDT thinned eggshells and lead to reproductive failure. The banning of DDT allowed their numbers to gradually recover. Breeding Bird Survey data indicates populations increased nationally at a rate of 1.7% per year from 1966 to 2015.

They have expanded into some regions, such as southern Ontario, where they were historically rare. However, red-shoulders are still absent or rare across parts of the Midwest where forests were cleared for agriculture. Habitat loss and degradation remains a concern, especially in rapidly urbanizing areas. Overall populations seem to be stable at present after recovering from their low point.

Conservation Status

The red-shouldered hawk has a global conservation status of Least Concern according to the IUCN. They are also protected in the United States under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. While still common, loss of wetland habitats and conversion of forests remains a long-term threat.

Red-shouldered hawks are listed as endangered in the state of Ohio where habitat loss has extirpated them from much of their former range. They are listed as threatened in Indiana and Iowa as well. Ongoing conservation efforts aim to better protect wetland habitats and restore riparian forests throughout the Midwest.

Conclusion

In summary, the red-shouldered hawk occupies a wide range across eastern North America. They reach their highest densities in forested wetlands of the southeastern United States and along major rivers. Red-shouldereds utilize different forest types but require medium to large tracts of deciduous or mixed woods for breeding. Wintering red-shoulders use more open habitats and urban areas with adequate prey. Populations of this adaptable hawk species are stable after recovering from 20th century declines. Ongoing conservation efforts focused on wetlands and riparian areas will help ensure red-shouldered hawks remain a common sight across eastern forests.