Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni

Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni This hawk is a common bird of open areas in the West. In migration, it is often seen in huge flocks; the birds rise on warm currents of air, spiraling upward, then descend in a long glide to the bottom of another thermal air current. It frequently hunts from fence posts and low trees, and often watches for prey from the ground.

Identification 19-22". Dark brown above with white throat and dark band across breast; outer flight feathers dark gray; wing linings white. Tail gray above, light below, with white tip. Dark-phase bird sooty-brown all over. Immature blackish brown above, buff below, with variable spots and streaks.

Voice Usually silent; sometimes whistles at nest.

Habitat Open plains, prairies, and meadows; sometimes nests in wetland areas.

Range Breeds mainly from S. British Columbia and Prairie Provinces south to south-central California, Arizona, New Mexico, and W. Texas; also in E. Alaska. Winters mainly in South America.