I took this photo of a Harris’s Hawk on our neighbor’s roof. This is my favorite photo of a Harris’s Hawk that I’ve taken. We had a visit yesterday by two of these large predators in our backyard. But I wasn’t quick enough with my camera to get decent photos. I took all of these photos during the past year.
Harris’s Hawk —Parabuteo unicinctus CLXIX
ORDER: Accipitriformes
FAMILY: Accipitridae
RANGE:
Harris’s Hawks live in the Southwest United States and South America. They do not migrate but stay in the same location. Map courtesy of All About Birds.
Harris’s Hawks are 18-24 inches in length and weigh from 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. Their wingspan is three to four feet. The females are larger than the males.
Their coloring is dark brown, chestnut red, and white; long yellow legs; and yellow markings on its face.
Here’s is a link to All About Birds with their call: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Harriss_Hawk/sounds
A Harris’s Hawk on our backyard fence.
These hawks mate for life. They are very social birds and hunt in pairs and groups up to seven hawks. I have had six hawks in my backyard at once. When hunting, they may take turns chasing their prey and one bird may flush out their target while others will attack. They feed on small animals including lizards, rabbits, doves, quail and other birds.
A Harris’s Hawk taking off in flight.
A hawk in a tree in our backyard.
There were four hawks perched on this Century Plant at once, but I found the more exciting photo to be with one in flight and one hawk remaining on the plant.
Birds of prey are such impressive creatures. My husband got to fly a Harris Hawk at a falconry class I gifted him years ago. It was an amazing experience.
In my research on Harris’s Hawks they said they are very social and often used in falconry classes. How exciting!
It was a private three hour tutorial in a beautiful White Mountain setting. Well worth the $.
😊
That sounds so special. You’ll have that memory forever.
A very beautiful Raptor, great photos!! ❤️😊
Thanks! I was hoping for something new this week, but the pics weren’t in focus because they took off in flight.
Beautiful bird!
Thank you! They are so majestic.
Great photos Elizabeth. What a beautiful hawk, They do cover a big area of the Americas
Thanks! Yes, I was surprised at their large territory.
Incredible photography! The hawk in flight looks so majestic. Thanks for sharing these beautiful captures and the insight into their behavior.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the photos and info.
“Always a pleasure to read your posts and learn more about these magnificent birds! Have a wonderful day ahead.
Thank you!
Welcome dear Wickham..keep smiling
Amazing birds! I just try not to be present when they are hunting. I’ve seen too many hawks back in WA hunting and devouring their prey.
I did see one on the top of a saguaro eating it’s prey this week. Fortunately, it was so high up that I couldn’t see what it was. They are majestic, but I’m not big fans of them hanging out in my yard!
I love the first photo. Great shot of a beautiful bird, with its wings open. As for the last photo, are you sure that’s a hawk? Looks like a vulture, to me.
My husband said the same thing to me about the last photo. Yes, I’m pretty sure it’s a hawk. I have a bunch of photos of it where it’s a circling around that make it easier to identify. I’m glad you liked the first photo. It’s the first bird photo I took that I really liked.
I agree about the turkey vulture. I know them well!
I think so, too. I knew my grandmother pretty well, and she looked just like a turkey vulture.
😂
I have Tippy, Eilene and my husband saying my hawk in flight is not a hawk. So I edited the post to include a photo that has a Harris’s Hawk in flight. I’ve seen turkey vultures at the beach in Santa Barbara, but I haven’t seen one here. But I read they are very common in the Sonoran Desert.
Fantastic photo! Love seeing the wings.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Great photos, Elizabeth!
Thank you!
Wow – interesting and impressive. That first photo on your neighbors roof – so good with the raised wings! Thanks, Elizabeth!
That is my best Harris’s Hawk photo, in my opinion.
Gorgeous capture, what a beauty!
Thank you so much! They are majestic creatures.
Wonderful information and photos of the hawks, EA. We don’t see them here, of course. I’ve seen at least one in southern New Mexico, further north than the map shows. Many birds are expanding their ranges northward now.
That’s interesting about birds expanding their ranges. I’m still learning the birds that we have here. We lived downtown in Palm Springs and we had birds, but not as many varieties as in Arizona.
Southern Arizona is very much an extension of the Mexican bird range. You get many birds there we don’t here, due to elevation and habitat.
That makes sense!
great shots!!
Thanks!
Beautiful captures of this hawk! We don’t get the Harris’s Hawk here in the Southeast U.S.
Thank you! It looks like they are here in the Southwest and in South America. They sure are gorgeous creatures.
What amazing photos, Elizabeth! I especially love the last one!
Thank you! I wish I could get more recent ones, but they were too quick for me this week.