The order Accipitriformes contains the diurnal (active during the day) birds of prey: hawks, goshawks, eagles, kites, vultures, ospreys, secretary birds. These birds have sometimes been considered part of the Falconiformes which contains the falcons, but DNA evidence indicates the orders should be separate.

The Accipitridae family contains the hawks, goshawks, eagles, kites, Old World vultures. Subfamilies are often used to group related species, but the subfamiles for much of Accipitridae are in flux. They will be used here if there is agreement for their members.

This page contains species that are termed hawks or buzzards.


Genus Buteo  

Hawk, Broad-winged   Buteo platypterus   Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center  3) Julie Waters - Marlboro, VT


Hawk, Ferruginous Buteo regalis   Found: North America
Photographed by:  1) Dick Daniels - Flamingo Gardens - Flroida    2) USFWS  3) Alan Vernon - Cambria, California


Hawk, Grey  aka Grey-lined Hawk  Buteo nitidus  Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1, 3) Brian Snelson 2) Belgian chocolate  4) The Lilac Breasted Roller


Hawk, Red-shouldered Buteo lineatus   Found: North America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - North Carolina  3) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center  4, 5, 6) Dick - Florida  7, 8) Mike Baird
6) Juvenile



Hawk, Red-tailed Buteo jamaicensis   Found: North America
Photographed by:   1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center  4) Dick - North Carolina   8) Ted Grussing



Hawk, Rough-legged Buteo lagopus   Found: North America
Photographed by :  1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center  4) Dick - New Hampshire Walter
    5) Siegmund Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge    6) Alan D Wilson



Hawk, Swainson's Buteo swainsoni  Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1) Charlie Westerinen - Baker City, Oregon  2) Charlie - Strawberry Reservoir in Utah   
    3, 4) Dick Daniels - Wyoming   5) Alan Vernon
5) Dark morph



Hawk, White-tailed  Buteo albicaudatus  Found: The Americas
Photographed by Alan and Elaine Wilson - Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Cameron County, Texas



Genus Buteogallus
Buteogallus like crabs and other large crustaceans and thus are sometimes called crab-hawks.

Hawk, Common Black Buteogallus anthracinus Found: North America, South America
Photographed by: 1) Hans Hillewaert - Playa Blanca, Cahuita, Costa Rica 
2) Jerry Oldenettel on the Bay of Nicoya, Costa Rica 3) Ted Grussing



Genus Parabuteo - 1 species

Hawk, Harris'sParabuteo unicinctus Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center   3, 4)  Alan D Wilson  at Ramirez Ranch, Near Roma, Texas  
      5, 6) Dick Daniels - Center for Birds of Prey, Charleston, South Carolina  




Genus Accipiter
See also Genus Melierax for more Goshawks.

Goshawk, Northern aka Goshawk  Accipiter gentilis  Found: North America
Photographed by: Elaine R Wilson - Jericho Beach Park, Vancouver, British Columbia
Juvenile



Genus Circus

Harrier, Northern  aka Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus Found: North America, Central America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by:  1) Alan D Wilson - Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Near Woodland, Washington
   2) Alan Wilson - Road Dike, Richmond, British Columbia  3) Dick Daniels - North Carolina



Cooper and Sharp-shinned hawks are difficult to distinguish. For an excellent guide, see the Cornell site

Hawk, Cooper's Accipiter cooperii     Found: North America
Photographed by:   1) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center  2) Ted Grussing - Arizona 
   3) Alan D Wilson - Fort Fraser Rise, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia 
   4) Alan - Bella Vista Road, Vernon, British Columbia  3) Glen Young
3, 4) Juvenile


Hawk, Sharp-shinned Accipiter striatus   Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - New Hampshire  2) Dario Sanches  3) Trisha Shears
3) Juvenile