The Cooper’s Hawk is another small hawk that looks and hunts in a very similar way to the Sharp-shinned Hawk. As with most hawks, the female is significantly larger than the male, and in these little hunters, she may be as much as 30% bigger than her partner. Once caught, these natural-born killers use their long sharp talons to finish their catch. These swift and agile birds are the ultimate ambush specialists, watching their prey from a position within the canopy of a tree before shooting out and speeding through the branches to catch smaller birds in flight. Sharp-shinned Hawks are a small, bird-hunting hawk species that hunt in forests and woodlands across America. To protect them from the cold water, they have oily, water-repellant feathers and they can close their nostrils before swooping under the surface. These awesome hunters use their long sharp talons and the barb-like scales under their toes to hold on to their slippery prey. These birds are found all over the United States where they dive into the surface waters of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters to catch fish. Often known as the fish hawk, Ospreys are large birds that can weigh over 4lbs and have a wingspan of 6ft. Let’s go ahead and start learning more about the different types of hawks, and why not start this list of hawks with a magnificent hunter of the open waters. These powerful birds use their amazing eyesight and sharp talons to catch and kill their food. The greatest diversity of hawks in the United States occurs in the south, although you can find one or more species in any state.Īll hawks are predators that feed on small animals and insects. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.Īlthough most of the hawks in the United States fit into two main hawk types, the accipiters, and the buteos, many of the 15 types of hawks in this list don’t quite fit into either of those groups.

Hawks predators