Swainson’s Hawk Images, Facts and Information:
Buteo swainsoni
- Swainson’s Hawks are large hawks with short tails, broad wings, reddish brown to gray upperparts and generally have light bellies. Their plumage varies and they can be seen in light morphs, intermediate morphs and dark morphs.
- Swainson’s Hawks are migratory, they spend the summer in western North America and the winter in South America. Swainson’s Hawks may migrate as far as 14,000 miles.
- Swainson’s Hawks prefer wide open habitat including grasslands, prairies, agricultural fields.
- Swainson’s Hawks eat grasshoppers, crickets, dragonflies and small mammals including rabbits, voles, mice and gophers plus lizards and other birds.
- Swainson’s Hawks lay 2 to 4 eggs which hatch in 30 days. Both sexes incubate and they are monogamous.
- Swainson’s Hawks are also known as Grasshopper Hawks or Locust Hawks.
- A group of hawks can be called a “tower”, “knot”, “spiraling”, “stream” or “kettle” of hawks.
- Swainson’s Hawks can live to be over 23 years of age.
I hope that you enjoy viewing my Swainson’s Hawk photos.
Swainson’s Hawk on a gnarly fence post
Title: Swainson’s Hawk on a gnarly fence post
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/22/2017
Light morph sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk on a post
Title: Light morph sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk on a post
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/15/2017
Close up of a sub-adult light morph Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Close up of a sub-adult light morph Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/15/2017
Morning light on a Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Morning light on a Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/15/2017
Roadside Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Roadside Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/15/2017
Adult Swainson’s Hawk on a rusty, metal post
Title: Adult Swainson’s Hawk on a rusty, metal post
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/3/2017
Side view of a sub-adult dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Side view of a sub-adult dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Rousing sub-adult dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Rousing sub-adult dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Sub-adult dark morph Swainson’s Hawk on a May morning
Title: Sub-adult dark morph Swainson’s Hawk on a May morning
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Sub-adult dark morph Swainson’s Hawk from a distance
Title: Sub-adult dark morph Swainson’s Hawk from a distance
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Light morph Swainson’s Hawk adult about to scratch
Title: Light morph Swainson’s Hawk adult about to scratch
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Close up view of an adult light morph Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Close up view of an adult light morph Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Light morph Swainson’s Hawk close up with bluish background
Title: Light morph Swainson’s Hawk close up with bluish background
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk with shadowed mountains in the background
Title: Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk with shadowed mountains in the background
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Dark morph sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk pooping
Title: Dark morph sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk pooping
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Light morph Swainson’s Hawk side view
Title: Light morph Swainson’s Hawk side view
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Light morph Swainson’s Hawk perched on a square post
Title: Light morph Swainson’s Hawk perched on a square post
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Light morph Swainson’s Hawk view of talons
Title: Light morph Swainson’s Hawk view of talons
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Swainson’s Hawk light morph close up in profile
Title: Swainson’s Hawk light morph close up in profile
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/1/2017
Male Swainson’s Hawk casting a pellet
Title: Male Swainson’s Hawk casting a pellet
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/22/2017