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.
Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk stretching its wings
Title: Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk stretching its wings
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 9/10/2015
Swainson’s Hawk lift off with one talon on the fence post
Title: Swainson’s Hawk lift off with one talon on the fence post
Location: Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 9/8/2015
Adult Swainson’s Hawk in flight over Centennial Valley
Title: Adult Swainson’s Hawk in flight over Centennial Valley
Location: Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 9/8/2015
Adult Swainson’s Hawk on a gnarly old fence post
Title: Adult Swainson’s Hawk on a gnarly old fence post
Location: Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 9/8/2015
Swainson’s Hawk in the Centennial Valley of Montana
Title: Swainson’s Hawk in the Centennial Valley of Montana
Location: Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 9/8/2015
Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk on a bale of hay
Title: Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk on a bale of hay
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 8/9/2015
Northern Mockingbird attacks a Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Northern Mockingbird attacks a Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 6/29/2015
Swainson’s Hawk lifting off from a lichen covered boulder
Title: Swainson’s Hawk lifting off from a lichen covered boulder
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 6/29/2015
Swainson’s Hawk perched on a lichen covered boulder
Title: Swainson’s Hawk perched on a lichen covered boulder
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 6/29/2015
Swainson’s Hawk in molt
Title: Swainson’s Hawk in molt
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 6/29/2015
Wet Swainson’s Hawk in a light rain
Title: Wet Swainson’s Hawk in a light rain
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 6/10/2015
Copulating pair of Swainson’s Hawks
Title: Copulating pair of Swainson’s Hawks
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 5/3/2015
Male Swainson’s Hawk in Beaverhead County
Title: Male Swainson’s Hawk in Beaverhead County
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 5/3/2015
Female Swainson’s Hawk in Beaverhead County
Title: Female Swainson’s Hawk in Beaverhead County
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 5/3/2015
Resting female Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Resting female Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 5/3/2015
Female Swainson’s Hawk scratching her head
Title: Female Swainson’s Hawk scratching her head
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 5/3/2015
Intermediate morph male Swainson’s Hawk on his breeding grounds
Title: Intermediate morph male Swainson’s Hawk on his breeding grounds
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 5/3/2015
Light morph female Swainson’s Hawk on her breeding grounds
Title: Light morph female Swainson’s Hawk on her breeding grounds
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 5/3/2015
Swainson’s Hawk male on an old fence post
Title: Swainson’s Hawk male on an old fence post
Location: Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 5/3/2015
Head on stare from a juvenile Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Head on stare from a juvenile Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 9/11/2014