Types of Hawks in Tennessee: A Complete Guide
Tennessee is home to several types of hawks, most commonly the red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and broad-winged hawk. These birds of prey can be seen soaring over the state’s mountains, valleys, and farmland, perched along highways, or hunting in backyards. This guide covers how many hawks live in Tennessee, the common species, how to tell them apart, where to see them, and when they are most active.
| Hawk | Key Features in Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Red-tailed Hawk | Most common, red tail, soars |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Woodlands, reddish barring |
| Cooper’s Hawk | Backyards, hunts birds |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | Small, hunts songbirds |
| Broad-winged Hawk | Summer, migrates in kettles |
| Northern Harrier | Marshes, low flight, white rump |
| Rough-legged Hawk | Rare winter visitor |
How Many Types of Hawks Live in Tennessee?
Tennessee hosts several species of hawks throughout the year, some as year-round residents and others as seasonal migrants or winter visitors. The most common and widespread is the red-tailed hawk, frequently seen perched along highways and soaring over open country. Other regularly occurring hawks include the red-shouldered hawk of the woodlands, the two bird-hunting accipiters, Cooper’s hawk and the sharp-shinned hawk, and the broad-winged hawk that breeds in summer and migrates in spectacular flocks. The northern harrier courses low over marshes and fields, mainly in winter, and the rough-legged hawk is a rare visitor from the far north. Hawks are birds of prey with keen eyesight, hooked bills, and strong talons, and they play an important role in controlling rodents and other small animals. Tennessee’s mix of mountains, valleys, forests, and farmland supports this variety. Understanding the hawks of Tennessee begins with these species, part of the wider group covered in our guide to types of hawks.
Common Hawks in Tennessee
Several hawks are especially common in Tennessee and worth knowing. The red-tailed hawk is the most familiar, a large, broad-winged hawk with, in adults, a brick-red tail, often seen perched on poles and trees along roadsides or soaring in wide circles. The red-shouldered hawk is a woodland hawk with reddish barred underparts and boldly banded wings and tail, common in Tennessee’s forests and often heard giving its loud calls. The Cooper’s hawk is a medium-sized, bird-hunting hawk that frequently visits backyards and bird feeders in pursuit of songbirds, while the very similar but smaller sharp-shinned hawk also hunts small birds. The broad-winged hawk is a small, stocky forest hawk that breeds in Tennessee in summer and migrates south in large swirling flocks called kettles, especially over the mountains. The northern harrier flies low over marshes and fields with its wings raised, showing a white rump patch. Each of these hawks has its own look and habits, as explored in our guide to types of hawks in Georgia.
How to Tell Tennessee Hawks Apart
Telling Tennessee’s hawks apart is easier when you use size, shape, and behavior. Start with size and shape, since the buteos like the red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks are large and broad-winged, built for soaring, while the accipiters like Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks are slimmer with shorter, rounded wings and long tails, built for chasing birds through cover. Look for key field marks, such as the red-tailed hawk’s red tail, the red-shouldered hawk’s reddish barring and banded tail, and the harrier’s white rump and low, tilting flight. Behavior and habitat help, since the red-tailed hawk soars over open country and perches conspicuously, the red-shouldered hawk favors woods and calls loudly, the accipiters dash after birds and visit feeders, and the harrier hunts low over marshes. Season matters too, since the rough-legged hawk appears only in winter. By combining size, shape, field marks, behavior, and season, you can identify Tennessee’s hawks, as explored in our guide to types of hawks in Virginia.
Where to See Hawks in Tennessee
Hawks can be seen throughout Tennessee in a variety of habitats, from open farmland to mountains, forests, and river valleys. The red-tailed hawk is often spotted perched on utility poles, fence posts, and trees along highways and over agricultural fields, making it one of the easiest hawks to observe. The red-shouldered and broad-winged hawks favor wooded areas, river corridors, and forests, while Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks are frequently seen in wooded neighborhoods, parks, and around backyard feeders. The northern harrier hunts over marshes, wet meadows, and open fields, mainly in winter. Tennessee’s mountains in the east, including the Great Smoky Mountains and other Appalachian ridges, are excellent for watching hawk migration in fall, when raptors follow the ridges south. Parks, wildlife management areas, and nature preserves throughout Tennessee provide excellent hawk habitat. Because hawks are widespread and often perch in the open or soar overhead, they are among the most visible birds of prey in the state, as detailed in our guide to types of falcons.
When Hawks Are Most Active in Tennessee
The best times to see hawks in Tennessee depend on the species and the season. Year-round residents like the red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, and Cooper’s hawk can be seen in every season, though they are often especially conspicuous in late fall and winter when leaves are off the trees and the birds perch in the open. Fall migration, roughly from September into November, is a spectacular time for hawk watching, when many hawks, most notably broad-winged hawks in September, stream south in large numbers, sometimes forming huge kettles of circling birds, and Tennessee’s mountain ridges channel these migrants. Winter brings visitors from the north, such as the northern harrier and occasionally the rough-legged hawk, along with increased numbers of some species. Spring migration also moves hawks northward through the state. During the day, hawks are most active when rising warm air, called thermals, helps them soar, so mid-morning through afternoon on clear days is often productive. By timing your outings to the seasons and the daily thermals, you can enjoy Tennessee’s hawks, as reflected in our guide to bird symbolism.
The Red-tailed Hawk, Tennessee’s Most Familiar Raptor
The red-tailed hawk deserves special attention as the hawk most Tennesseans encounter. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the red-tailed hawk is one of the most common and widespread hawks in North America, often seen perched along roadsides or soaring over open country. In Tennessee, this large buteo is a familiar sight throughout the year, frequently spotted atop utility poles, fence posts, and tall trees along highways, where it watches for the rodents and other small animals that make up much of its diet. Its broad, rounded wings are ideal for soaring in wide circles on rising warm air, and adults show the distinctive brick-red tail that gives the species its name, though young birds have a brown, banded tail. During fall migration, red-tailed hawks join the raptors that follow Tennessee’s mountain ridges south. The red-tailed hawk’s abundance and conspicuous perching make it the classic Tennessee hawk, providing a foundation for recognizing the state’s other raptors, as explored in our guide to types of hawks.
Appreciating Tennessee’s Hawks
Tennessee’s hawks are a rewarding group to appreciate, both for their beauty and for their role in nature. As predators, hawks help keep populations of rodents and other small animals in balance, playing an important part in healthy ecosystems across the state’s mountains, forests, and farmland. Learning to recognize the common hawks, from the soaring red-tailed hawk to the bird-hunting Cooper’s hawk, adds a rewarding dimension to time spent outdoors, whether watching from a mountain overlook, a country road, or a river valley. Tennessee’s eastern ridges offer a chance to see raptors moving through in fall, especially broad-winged hawks. Taking the time to observe hawks, note their shapes and behaviors, and enjoy their mastery of the air deepens the pleasure of birding in Tennessee, connecting observers to the wider world of raptors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common hawk in Tennessee?
The red-tailed hawk is the most common and widespread hawk in Tennessee, a large bird often seen perched along highways or soaring over open fields and farmland.
What hawk hunts birds at feeders in Tennessee?
Cooper’s hawks and sharp-shinned hawks hunt songbirds at backyard feeders in Tennessee. These bird-hunting hawks are drawn to the concentration of prey that feeders provide.
How many types of hawks are in Tennessee?
Tennessee hosts several hawk species, including the red-tailed, red-shouldered, Cooper’s, sharp-shinned, and broad-winged hawks, the northern harrier, and the rough-legged hawk.
How do you tell Tennessee hawks apart?
Use size, shape, and behavior. Buteos like the red-tailed hawk are broad-winged and soar, while accipiters like Cooper’s hawk are slim with long tails and hunt birds.
When is the best time to see hawks in Tennessee?
Fall migration from September into November is spectacular, especially for broad-winged hawks over the mountains. Year-round hawks are also easy to see in winter.
Where is the best hawk watching in Tennessee?
Tennessee’s eastern mountains, including the Great Smoky Mountains and Appalachian ridges, are excellent for hawk migration in fall, when raptors follow the ridges south.
Where can you see hawks in Tennessee?
Hawks are seen along highways, over farmland, in mountains, forests, and river valleys, around backyard feeders, and at ridge hawk-watching sites during fall migration.
