Harris's Hawk

Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) is in the Hawks, Eagles, and Kites family (Accipitridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 6,920 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Harris's Hawk: observations by month (U.S.)

About Harris's Hawk

The Harris's hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) formerly known as the bay-winged hawk or dusky hawk, is a medium-large bird of prey that breeds from the southwestern United States south to Chile, central Argentina, and Brazil. Birds are sometimes reported at large in Western Europe, especially Britain, but it is a popular species in falconry and these records almost certainly all refer to escapes from captivity.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Harris's Hawk by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)

Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis

Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus

Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus

Cooper's HawkAstur cooperii

Northern HarrierCircus hudsonius

Mississippi KiteIctinia mississippiensis

Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni

Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ