Harris's Hawk Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesHarris's Hawk
Adult (Harris's)
Large hawk with broad, rounded wings and fairly long tail. Underparts are dark, with reddish brown patches on the shoulder that can be seen at close range. Tail has a broad dark band, with white at the base and at the tip.
© Nate Gowan / Macaulay LibraryArizona, December 06, 2016Adult (Harris's)
Large, mostly dark hawk with reddish-brown shoulder patches. Fairly long tail has white undertail coverts and white band at the tip. Legs are long.
© Ron Friesz / Macaulay LibraryArizona, September 29, 2019Adult (Harris's)
Soars on broad, rounded wings with long tail fanned. Note prominent white at base of tail and on rump.
© Jerry Liguori / Macaulay LibraryTexas, September 23, 2015Not all videos have sound
Adult (Harris's)
Typically perches with an erect posture. Dark overall; reddish brown shoulder patches can blend in with dark plumage. White band at tip of tail.
© Bryan Calk / Macaulay LibraryTexas, December 22, 2020Adult (Harris's)
Occurs in open habitats where it perches vertically on posts, dead trees, and other perches. Reddish shoulder patches can blend in with brown upperparts in some views.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryTexas, May 01, 1998Not all videos have sound
Immature (Harris's)
Large hawk with broad, rounded wings and fairly long tail. Immatures have patchy white near the wingtips and on the belly.
© Sean Fitzgerald / Macaulay LibraryArizona, September 25, 2016Immature (Harris's)
Immatures have variable amounts of white in the underwings and on the belly; some are nearly as dark as adults. White band at tip of tail is narrower than in adults.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryBaja California Sur, September 28, 2005Adult (Bay-winged)
Eats mainly small mammals and lizards. "Bay-winged" subspecies occurs in tropical forests and scrub of eastern South America.
© Nathaniel H. Taylor / Macaulay LibraryApure, March 14, 2011Not all videos have sound
Adult (Bay-winged)
© Pio Marshall / Macaulay LibraryRegión Metropolitana de Santiago, October 09, 2017Immature (Bay-winged)
"Bay-winged" subspecies occurs in eastern South America. It is slightly smaller, with a slightly longer tail than the "Harris's" subspecies.
© Ignacio Zapata / Macaulay LibrarySanta Fe, June 15, 2020Adult (Harris's)
Reddish shoulder patches can be indistinct, depending on light. White tip to tail is visible from behind. This video has no audio.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryTexas, May 01, 1998Not all videos have sound
Immature (Bay-winged)
© Iván Eroles / Macaulay LibraryCiudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, February 14, 2020Adult (Harris's)
A social species often seen in groups and sometimes hunting together. Groups of up to 7 birds cooperate to raise young.
© Brooke Miller / Macaulay LibraryTexas, February 20, 2017Habitat
Occurs in open habitats including woodland, desert scrub, savannas, and grasslands. Often uses telephone poles and other structures for perches.
© Mike Cameron / Macaulay LibraryTexas, September 27, 2017Similar SpeciesCommon Black Hawk
Adult
Common Black Hawks are black overall, lacking the reddish brown shoulder patches of Harris's Hawks.
© Sonja Ross / Macaulay LibraryPuntarenas, January 29, 2014Similar SpeciesCommon Black Hawk
Immature
Common Black Hawks have even broader wings than Harris's Hawks, and shorter tails.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryTexas, July 24, 2016Similar SpeciesWhite-tailed Hawk
Adult light morph
White-tailed Hawks have longer, more pointed wings and shorter tails than Harris's Hawks. Light-morph White-tailed Hawks have extensively white underparts, whereas Harris's Hawks are uniform dark brown.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryTexas, November 12, 2011Similar SpeciesWhite-tailed Hawk
Immature
White-tailed Hawks have longer, more pointed wings and shorter tails than Harris's Hawks.
© Byron Stone / Macaulay LibraryTexas, December 31, 2015Similar SpeciesFerruginous Hawk
Dark morph
Ferruginous Hawks are larger than Harris's Hawks with longer wings. Dark-morph Ferruginous Hawks have a white tail, lack the wide black band on Harris's Hawks.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 31, 2015Similar SpeciesFerruginous Hawk
Light morph
Ferruginous Hawks are larger than Harris's Hawks with longer wings. Light morph Ferruginous Hawks are lighter overall with very white underparts, unlike the uniform dark brown of Harris's Hawks.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 31, 2015Similar SpeciesNorthern Harrier
Adult female
Northern Harriers have longer, narrower wings than Harris's Hawks and they lack the reddish shoulder patches and white band at the end of the tail.
© Amanda Guercio / Macaulay LibraryNew Brunswick, June 10, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites(Order: Accipitriformes, Family: Accipitridae)
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