Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) is in the Hawks, Eagles, and Kites family (Accipitridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 22,098 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: summer visitor / breeder. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Swainson's Hawk: observations by month (U.S.)
About Swainson's Hawk
Swainson's hawk (Buteo swainsoni), is a large Buteo hawk in the Accipitriformes order. This species was named after William Swainson, a British naturalist. It is colloquially known as the grasshopper hawk or locust hawk, as it is very fond of Acrididae (locusts and grasshoppers) and will voraciously eat these insects whenever they are available.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Swainson's Hawk by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 5,385 | April | Mar–Aug |
| Texas | 5,062 | April | Apr–May |
| Colorado | 2,827 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Idaho | 1,377 | August | Apr–Sep |
| New Mexico | 1,231 | April | Apr–Sep |
| Oregon | 1,134 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Arizona | 994 | April | Apr–Sep |
| Utah | 942 | April | Apr–Sep |
| Wyoming | 511 | May | May–Sep |
| Washington | 437 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Montana | 386 | June | May–Sep |
| Oklahoma | 304 | April | Apr–May |
| Nebraska | 217 | June | Apr–Sep |
| North Dakota | 217 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Kansas | 203 | April | Apr–May |
| Nevada | 160 | April | Apr–Aug |
| Florida | 147 | November | Oct–Feb |
| South Dakota | 139 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Louisiana | 89 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Minnesota | 78 | September | Sep–Sep |
| New York | 47 | February | Jan–Mar |
| Massachusetts | 31 | February | Feb–Feb |
| Missouri | 31 | May | Apr–May |
| Illinois | 29 | May | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | 21 | October | Oct–Nov |
| Michigan | 15 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Ohio | 14 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Iowa | 12 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Arkansas | 11 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Alaska | 6 | May | Apr–May |
| Wisconsin | 6 | August | Jul–Aug |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
Red-tailed Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Harrier
Mississippi Kite
Broad-winged Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
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
When is the best time to photograph Swainson's Hawk?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from April to September.
Where is Swainson's Hawk most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Colorado.