The Red-shouldered Hawk breeds, and is present year-round, from extreme southwestern Oregon south along the coast of California to Baja, California. In the East it is primarily a summer visitant in northern parts of its range from central Minnesota, southern Ontario, southern Quebec, and southern New Brunswick south to the vicinity of the Great Lakes and northern West Virginia. South of this area and throughout the rest of the United States, and west to eastern Kansas, eastern Oklahoma, and eastern Texas, it may be present year-round. Nonbreeding birds occur annually in extreme southern Texas.
The distribution of this subspecies in North America is as follows:
- breeds in southeastern Canada and the eastern United States south to Texas, central Arkansas, southern Tennessee, southern North Carolina, and central South Carolina.
It should be pointed out that there is much overlap in the distribution of the subspecies and that the ranges discussed above are generalized.
MIGRATION
The Red-shouldered Hawk usually migrates only from the northern-most parts of its eastern North American range which includes central Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, northern Michigan, southern Ontario, southern Quebec, New York, eastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and New Brunswick. Immatures move southward from September through December while adults migrate from October into December. Fall migration peaks in late October to early November in the northern states. This species migrates along ridges inland and the coast. Coastal numbers are often higher. Fall migration has been observed as far south as Louisiana and Florida. Spring migration peaks from late February through early April across much of its northern range.
The Red-shouldered Hawk has been termed a middle-distance partial migrant travelling 480 to 2400 miles (300 to 1500 kilometers) in a season. Migrants usually fly alone or sometimes in small, loose flocks. The Red-shouldered Hawk avoids wide water crossings. Migrants use soaring, flapping and intermittent gliding-flapping. Along the coast, in spring , migration is strongest when there is a southeast wind.
#Which species has this range?;question\Q12\Q12.wav
