Broad-winged Hawk Photo Gallery
Adult light morph
Small hawk with broad wings that come to a slight point at the tips. Light morph adult has barred underparts and a strongly banded tail. Note dark outline to trailing edge of wings.
© David Brown / Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, September 20, 2016Adult light morph
A small forest raptor, often best detected during the breeding season by its loud, piercing whistled call.
© Monique Berlinguette / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, July 18, 2018Adult light morph
Small hawk with short tail and broad wings with pointed tips. Soars on steady wings, typically turning in tighter circles than other raptors.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMissouri, May 04, 1997Not all videos have soundAdult light morph
Light morph adult has a brown head with variable amounts of barring on the breast.
© Martina Nordstrand / Macaulay LibraryVirginia, September 20, 2020Adult light morph
Small, compact hawk with brown upperparts. Adult has a broad white band on the tail.
© andrew aldrich / Macaulay LibraryMaine, April 19, 2016Adult light morph
A small hawk of wooded habitats. Adults have a brown head and chest, barred underparts, and dark tail with a broad white band.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibrarySantiago de Cuba, February 01, 2004Not all videos have soundAdult dark morph
Rare dark-morph adult is uniform dark brown overall, except for a broad white band in the tail.
© Wayne Perala / Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, April 29, 2021Juvenile light morph
Juvenile light morphs have variable amounts of brown barring on the breast.
© Nathan Dubrow / Macaulay LibraryMaine, January 08, 2021Flock (with Swainson's Hawks)
Forms enormous flocks during fall migration, particularly as the birds funnel through Mexico and Central America. Sometimes flocks with other raptors, including Swainson's Hawk.
© Benjamin Clock / Macaulay LibraryVeracruz, October 08, 2006Not all videos have soundJuvenile light morph
Some juvenile light morphs have more heavily streaked underparts.
© Sean Clinning / Macaulay LibraryKentucky, August 05, 2018Juvenile light morph
Juvenile light morph has brown upperparts with some white markings.
© fernando Burgalin Sequeria / Macaulay LibraryAlajuela, November 21, 2020Juvenile light morph
Juvenile light morphs have variable amounts of brown on the breast and lack a dark trailing edge to the wing. The tail has many narrow bands, usually with a stronger dark band at the tip. The gaps in the wing indicate this bird is molting its primary feathers.
© Alex Lamoreaux / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 20, 2017Juvenile dark morph
In flight, both adult and juvenile dark morph have silvery flight feathers that contast with dark brown underwing coverts. Juvenile's tail has several dark bands, while adult dark morph's tail is similar to adult light morph's.
© Tony Leukering / Macaulay LibraryTexas, November 10, 2013Immature light morph
This immature bird is replacing juvenile tail pattern (visible in outer tail feathers) with adult pattern (inner feathers). Typically does not breed until more than one year old, but yearling birds (especially males) sometimes mate with adults.
© James Sawusch / Macaulay LibraryNew York, July 09, 2017Immature light morph
A small, compact hawk with broad wings, a large head, and a fairly short tail.
© Mary McSparen / Macaulay LibraryArizona, April 13, 2020Habitat
A hawk of forests, breeding in large deciduous or mixed deciduous-evergreen forests.
© Mark Kosiewski / Macaulay LibraryNorth Carolina, July 21, 2012Flock
Forms large flocks on migration, sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands or more. Sometimes flocks with other hawk species.
© LG Pr / Macaulay LibraryTexas, September 20, 2012Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites(Order: Accipitriformes, Family: Accipitridae)
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