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 in the grasses in lovely light
Title: Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk in the grasses in lovely light
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 9/7/2014
Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk taking flight in poor light
Title: Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk taking flight in poor light
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 9/7/2014
Light morph Swainson’s Hawk in flight over the Centennial Valley
Title: Light morph Swainson’s Hawk in flight over the Centennial Valley
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 9/7/2014
Swainson’s Hawk in flight next to a hillside
Title: Swainson’s Hawk in flight next to a hillside
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/26/2014
Swainson’s Hawk lifting off from a grassy slope
Title: Swainson’s Hawk lifting off from a grassy slope
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/26/2014
Swainson’s Hawk gaining air speed
Title: Swainson’s Hawk gaining air speed
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/26/2014
Eye level Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Eye level Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/26/2014
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk on the wing
Title: Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk on the wing
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/3/2014
Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk lifting off from a Montana hillside
Title: Dark morph Swainson’s Hawk lifting off from a Montana hillside
Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/3/2014
Yawning juvenile Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Yawning juvenile Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 9/16/2013
Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk fly by near Snowville
Title: Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk fly by near Snowville
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 9/16/2013
Swainson’s Hawk juvenile on a wire fence
Title: Swainson’s Hawk juvenile on a wire fence
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 9/16/2013
Sub-adult light morph Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Sub-adult light morph Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/26/2013
Light morph Swainson’s Hawk sub-adult
Title: Light morph Swainson’s Hawk sub-adult
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/26/2013
Swainson’s Hawk in flight over Beaverhead County, Montana
Title: Swainson’s Hawk in flight over Beaverhead County, Montana
Location: Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/25/2013
Ragged sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk
Title: Ragged sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/24/2013
Adult Swainson’s Hawk intermediate morph
Title: Adult Swainson’s Hawk intermediate morph
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 7/22/2013
Swainson’s Hawk in its first spring
Title: Swainson’s Hawk in its first spring
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 6/7/2013
Perched adult Swainson’s Hawk in southwestern Montana
Title: Perched adult Swainson’s Hawk in southwestern Montana
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 6/7/2013
Adult Swainson’s Hawk with blood on its belly from its last meal
Title: Adult Swainson’s Hawk with blood on its belly from its last meal
Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana
Date: 6/7/2013