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Red-shouldered Hawk

Buteo lineatus

Bird · family Accipitridae · order Accipitriformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
42 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
25 years[4]

The Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a bird in the family Accipitridae[5]. It is ranked Secure worldwide by NatureServe and is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Red-shouldered Hawk a global rank of G5, which means Secure[2]. In the United States it is ranked Secure for both breeding and nonbreeding birds[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The hawk is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. It is on the federal list of birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8]. NatureServe estimates more than 1,000,000 adults worldwide[9].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding))
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected
CITES (international trade)[10] Appendix II
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] >1,000,000 individuals

Where Red-shouldered Hawk lives

NatureServe lists the Red-shouldered Hawk as native in 42 US states and territories[3]. These include Florida, Texas, New York, Ohio, Minnesota and California, along with the District of Columbia[3]. Each state has its own NatureServe rank, and the ranks differ[11]. A state list shows where NatureServe records the bird[3].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: native, state rank S3N,S4BMEWisconsin: native, state rank S4BWIVermont: native, state rank S2BVTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S3NHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: native, state rank S3B,SNRNMNIllinois: native, state rank S2ILMichigan: native, state rank S4MINew York: native, state rank S4BNYMassachusetts: native, state rank S4B,S4NMAOregon: native, state rank S3NORNevada: native, state rank S3NVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank SUBSDIowa: native, state rank S2BIAIndiana: native, state rank S3INOhio: native, state rank S3OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S4B,S5N,S4MPANew Jersey: native, state rank S1B,S3NNJConnecticut: native, state rank S5BCTRhode Island: native, state rank S3B,S3NRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRBCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: native, state rank SNACONebraska: native, state rank S4NEMissouri: native, state rank S4MOKentucky: native, state rank S4B,S4NKYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5B,S5NWVVirginia: native, state rank S4VAMaryland: native, state rank S4B,S4NMDDelaware: native, state rank S3B,S3NDEArizona: native, state rank S1B,S3NAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: native, state rank S3KSArkansas: native, state rank S3ARTennessee: native, state rank S4BTNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5B,S5NNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S2B,S3NDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S4BMSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S4GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S4BTXFlorida: native, state rank S4FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[11].
Show state ranks (42 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
ArizonaS1B,S3NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
ArkansasS3Vulnerable
CaliforniaSNRBNot Ranked (breeding)
ColoradoSNANot Applicable
ConnecticutS5BSecure (breeding)
DelawareS3B,S3NVulnerable (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
District of ColumbiaS2B,S3NImperiled (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
FloridaS4Apparently Secure
GeorgiaS4Apparently Secure
IllinoisS2Imperiled
IndianaS3Vulnerable
IowaS2BImperiled (breeding)
KansasS3Vulnerable
KentuckyS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
LouisianaS5Secure
MaineS3N,S4BVulnerable (nonbreeding), Apparently Secure (breeding)
MarylandS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
MassachusettsS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
MichiganS4Apparently Secure
MinnesotaS3B,SNRNVulnerable (breeding), Not Ranked (nonbreeding)
MississippiS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
MissouriS4Apparently Secure
NebraskaS4Apparently Secure
NevadaS3Vulnerable
New HampshireS3Vulnerable
New JerseyS1B,S3NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
New YorkS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
North CarolinaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
OhioS3Vulnerable
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonS3NVulnerable (nonbreeding)
PennsylvaniaS4B,S5N,S4MApparently Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding), Apparently Secure (migrant)
Rhode IslandS3B,S3NVulnerable (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaSUBUnrankable (breeding)
TennesseeS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
TexasS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
VermontS2BImperiled (breeding)
VirginiaS4Apparently Secure
West VirginiaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
WisconsinS4BApparently Secure (breeding)

Habitat

NatureServe records hardwood and mixed forest, hardwood and mixed woodland, forested wetland, riparian areas and cropland with hedgerows as habitat[12]. Breeding birds use settings from bottomland hardwoods to upland forest[13]. Nest areas are usually well forested and close to some kind of water[13]. In California the hawk has spread into more kinds of woodland, including eucalyptus stands in urban areas[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Red-shouldered Hawk eats meat and invertebrates[14]. The estimated diet is 40% warm-blooded vertebrates, 40% reptiles and amphibians, and 20% invertebrates[15]. Prey includes snakes, frogs, small mammals, small lizards, crayfish and insects, and the mix changes by region and season[16]. A typical adult is 48 cm (19 in) long[17]. It weighs 643 g[18]. Incubation lasts 33 days[19]. Females reach sexual maturity at 365 days[20]. The oldest known wild bird from banding records was at least 25 years 11 months old[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[17] 48 cm (19 in)
Typical adult weight[18] 643 g (22.7 oz)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[21] 22.4 years (wild)
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 25 years 11 months
Litter or clutch size[22] 3.5
Gestation or incubation[19] 33 days
Female maturity[20] 365 days (about 1.0 years)
Food habits[14] Carnivore, Invertivore
Migration[23] non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[15]

  • 40% warm-blooded vertebrates
  • 40% reptiles and amphibians
  • 20% invertebrates

When to look for it

This hawk is active in the daytime[24]. Movement depends on where it lives. North of a line from southern Minnesota to southern Ohio and central New Hampshire, most birds are there only to breed[25]. Migration is strongest in the Northeast, and populations from about Virginia southward mostly stay put[25]. On GBIF, most records fall in February, March and April[26]. Those records show when people look and report, not how many hawks there are[26].

January: 479,879 recordsJanFebruary: 487,463 recordsFebMarch: 498,654 recordsMarApril: 517,049 recordsAprMay: 454,611 recordsMayJune: 263,826 recordsJunJuly: 212,102 recordsJulAugust: 247,335 recordsAugSeptember: 424,920 recordsSepOctober: 433,643 recordsOctNovember: 362,072 recordsNovDecember: 405,804 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[26].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January479,879
February487,463
March498,654
April517,049
May454,611
June263,826
July212,102
August247,335
September424,920
October433,643
November362,072
December405,804

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Red-shouldered Hawk as present in 134 park units[27]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 110 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Florida, California, Texas, North Carolina, Virginia[28]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Red-shouldered Hawk endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, Secure, worldwide[2].
Where does the Red-shouldered Hawk live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 42 US states and territories, including Florida, Texas, New York and California[3]. It nests in forests, usually close to water[13].
What does the Red-shouldered Hawk eat?
It eats snakes, frogs, small mammals, small lizards, crayfish and insects[16]. The estimated diet is 40% warm-blooded vertebrates, 40% reptiles and amphibians, and 20% invertebrates[15].
How big is a Red-shouldered Hawk?
A typical adult is 48 cm (19 in) long[17]. It weighs 643 g[18].
How long does a Red-shouldered Hawk live?
The oldest known wild bird from banding records was at least 25 years 11 months old[4]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[21].

Facts and sources

  1. Red-shouldered Hawk is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Red-shouldered Hawk: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Red-shouldered Hawk as native in 42 US states and territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Red-shouldered Hawk from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 25 years 11 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a bird in the family Accipitridae, order Accipitriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Red-shouldered Hawk is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (50 CFR 10.13). eCFR, 50 CFR 10.13
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix II (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe state ranks for Red-shouldered Hawk (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Red-shouldered Hawk: Forest - hardwood, Forest - mixed, Woodland - hardwood, Woodland - mixed, Cropland/hedgerow, Forested wetland, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Red-shouldered Hawk. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 40% warm-blooded vertebrates, 40% reptiles and amphibians, 20% invertebrates. EltonTraits 1.0
  16. NatureServe notes on food for Red-shouldered Hawk. NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 48 cm (19 in). NatureServe Explorer
  18. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 643 g (22.7 oz). NatureServe Explorer
  19. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 33 days. AnAge
  20. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 365 days (about 1.0 years). AnAge
  21. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 22.4 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  22. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 3.5. AnAge
  23. NatureServe migration category for Red-shouldered Hawk: non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  24. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  25. NatureServe notes on migration for Red-shouldered Hawk. NatureServe Explorer
  26. GBIF observation records of Red-shouldered Hawk in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  27. NPSpecies park lists recording Red-shouldered Hawk as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  28. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Red-shouldered Hawk: Florida, California, Texas, North Carolina, Virginia. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.