Types of Hawks Found in Northern Colorado

Red Tailed Hawk

• The Red Tailed Hawk is recognized primarily by its large size, with large females sometimes being mistaken for eagles. The birds have a deep rusty red coloring on the back and tail and a paler underbelly. These hawks are often seen gliding on thermals or sitting atop telegraph poles watching for prey on the ground below. The Red Tailed Hawk prefers open habitat such as the Pawnee National Grassland.

Coopers Hawk

• The range of the Cooper's Hawk extends across all of the United States and is a permanent resident in the central states including northern Colorado.

  The birds are a grayish brown color on the back and wings and have a paler heavily patterned belly. The eyes and feet are yellow. The Cooper's Hawk is typically found in areas with trees such as woodland and backyards.

Swainson's Hawk

• These hawks typically spend the summer in western central United States and migrate to South America for the winter, sometimes flying as far as Brazil. The Swainson's Hawk is recognized by its dark brown wings, yellow legs and pale softly patterned underbelly. The Swainson's Hawk is typically found in prairies and grasslands including farmland where it hunts for mice and voles.