They leave in winter from the northern part of their range-and Maine is near the northern limit-but they don’t retreat very far south typically, the northern range limit is in southern New England, though occasionally one will attempt to spend the winter in southern Maine. Here in Maine and in much of the northeastern part of the breeding range of red-shouldered hawks, the species seems like a different creature. Down south in places like Florida, it’s common to hear the penetrating, repeated “kee-ah, kee-ah, kee-ah, kee-ah” calls of red-shouldered hawks even in suburban parks and communities that have left enough trees (often those wonderful live oaks dripping with abundant Spanish moss) in the area. The “red” on the red-shouldered hawk’s shoulder is really a rather chestnut color and is not always particularly easy to see. ![]() Unlike the broad-winged hawk, the red-shouldered hawk’s tail is mostly black with very narrow white bands instead of black and white bands of equal width. Red-shouldered hawks are, like the broad-winged hawk, one of the members of the buteo family of hawks, which have long, broad wings and a short but broad tail. Often they’re seen in a familiar, hunched-over posture on a telephone pole, wire or even on a sign or street lamp, staring down toward the ground watching closely for the movement of a small rodent, frog, snake, or perhaps even a large insect on which to pounce. There, red-shouldered hawks seem to be everywhere. Those of you who have spent time in the southeastern U.S., perhaps in Florida in particular, may have encountered red-shouldered hawks there. Well, they (most of them) make an epic journey all the way to South America for the winter. Broad-winged hawks are (roughly) crow-sized hawks with wide black and white stripes on a rather short tail-we often see them on roadside wires in the summer. The very familiar osprey is one that does leave with birds wintering from Florida south into the Caribbean and Central and South America. Only a few hawks leave us for the winter. Another tiny falcon, the American kestrel, winters in Maine in small numbers and breeds throughout the state. ![]() Peregrine falcons nest in a few places in Maine, and the smaller falcon, the merlin, now nests in many parts of the state both can sometimes be found in winter in Maine (despite the fact that some of both species migrate south into South America for the winter). Red-tailed hawks are often seen along the highway and in areas with lots of fields and brushy edges even in the dead of winter. Frequently, Cooper’s hawks and occasionally the larger but related northern goshawk may be seen sneaking into town to chase pigeons. Cooper’s hawks and sharp-shinned hawks are regularly seen in winter, usually diving into a backyard where there’s a feeder as they try to catch a small bird for a meal. Here in Maine we’re used to seeing a variety of hawks that can occur throughout the year.
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