BUTEOS

Hawks with broad, rounded wings, relatively short tails, and soaring flight

Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo Jamaicensis
Our most common raptor, Red-tailed Hawks come in a variety of plumages from the dark-phased "Harlan's" to the light-phased "Kryder's" Hawk. This large hawk likes to sit and wait for its dinner to come by, but it has the strength and stamina to chase and overpower rabbits.

Swainson's Hawk
Buteo swainsoni
These raptors are among the world's long-distance champions, nesting as far north as Alaska and wintering in Argentina. Most often found in short-grass and corn fields, Swainson's Hawks consume large amounts of insects (especially grasshoppers) and rodents. Known as the "grasshopper hawk" in Argentina, its winter cycle coincides with the swarms of locusts upon which it feeds, controlling the insect population there.

Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopus
"Rough-legs" are circumpolar birds, breeding in the Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. Opportunists, they nest wherever mice and lemmings are available.  Winters in North America with large populations occurring in Nebraska. This smaller cousin of the Red-Tail Hawk has small feet, and it prefers small rodents (mice, voles, etc.) upon which it feeds. It can hover in mid-air while hunting.

Ferruginous Hawk
Buteo regalis
Ground squirrels and prairie dogs beware, a master of surprise, this hawk flys low, navigating the land catching prairie dogs away from their burrows. These raptors will work together to catch their prey. 

Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
Every spring, these hawks return to the same nest site. Red-shouldered Hawks will eat lizards, toads, frogs, and particularly snakes. The talons of this hawk are relatively small, limiting the size of mammals that they are able to take to squirrels or cottontail rabbits. Rare in Nebraska, they can sometimes be seen along the Missouri River.

 Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus
Every September, Broad-wings group together by the hundreds to migrate South for the winter. These "kettles" cross the continent and then funnel to the tropical rainforests. These raptors must migrate early. A small raptor, they specialize in cold-blooded prey. Frogs, snakes, toads, and even crayfish fall victim to these stealth birds.