Gray Hawk

The Gray Hawk is a slim, elegant buteo of desert riverine woodlands, pale gray above with fine, closely spaced gray barring across a whitish breast. Its tail is boldly patterned with wide black and white bands, and it has notably long yellow legs. Compared to bulkier soaring hawks, the Gray Hawk has a more compact, accipiter-like build with somewhat rounded wingtips, allowing it to hunt effectively within the confines of streamside cottonwood and mesquite groves.

It is a specialty species for birders visiting the borderlands of Arizona and Texas, where riparian corridors provide the tall trees needed for nesting and the shaded understory favored by its lizard and small mammal prey.

Key Field Marks

• Pale gray back and finely barred gray-and-white underparts
• Broad, boldly banded black-and-white tail
• Long yellow legs
• Relatively short, rounded wings and a longer tail compared to typical buteos, giving an accipiter-like impression

Similar Species

• Broad-winged Hawk: Also barred below but has rustier barring and a different tail pattern, found in different (more eastern/wooded) habitat
• Cooper's Hawk: Similar barring below but has a rounder head, longer tail without such bold white bands, and flap-flap-glide flight typical of accipiters
• Red-shouldered Hawk: Larger with rusty shoulders and different range

Habitat

Tall riparian woodlands along desert rivers and streams, particularly cottonwood, willow, and mesquite bosque habitat.

Range

In the United States, restricted mainly to southeastern Arizona and southern Texas along the Mexican border, with the core range extending south through Mexico into Central America.

Migration

Most U.S. breeders migrate south into Mexico for the winter, though the species is resident year-round farther south in its range.

Behavior

Often perches inconspicuously within the wooded canopy, watching for prey below, and soars over riparian corridors particularly during territorial or courtship displays.

Voice

A distinctive, loud, squealing whistle, often transcribed as a rising and falling scream, quite different from the calls of other regional buteos.

Feeding

Hunts lizards, small mammals, and birds from a perch, dropping down into the understory or along the woodland edge to capture prey.

Nesting & Breeding

Builds a stick nest high in a cottonwood or sycamore within riparian woodland; pairs are often loyal to the same territory across years.