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.
Sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk perched on an old fence post
Title: Sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk perched on an old fence post
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/22/2017
Close up of dark morph Swainson’s Hawk in golden light
Title: Close up of dark morph Swainson’s Hawk in golden light
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/22/2017
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk in early morning light
Title: Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk in early morning light
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/22/2017
Adult Swainson’s Hawk close up in side light
Title: Adult Swainson’s Hawk close up in side light
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/22/2017
Morning light on a light morph Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Morning light on a light morph Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/22/2017
Male light morph Swainson’s Hawk in morning light
Title: Male light morph Swainson’s Hawk in morning light
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/22/2017
Swainson’s Hawk dark morph looking down
Title: Swainson’s Hawk dark morph looking down
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk up close
Title: Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk up close
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Portrait of a dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Portrait of a dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk looking over its shoulder
Title: Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk looking over its shoulder
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Swainson’s Hawk dark morph close up
Title: Swainson’s Hawk dark morph close up
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk looking right at me
Title: Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk looking right at me
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Perched dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Perched dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Staring dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Staring dark morph Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk portrait
Title: Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk portrait
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Close up of a very dark Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Close up of a very dark Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk in northern Utah
Title: Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk in northern Utah
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
Very dark Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Very dark Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/15/2017
First of Year Swainson’s Hawk with snowy mountains in the background
Title: First of Year Swainson’s Hawk with snowy mountains in the background
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 4/9/2017