RANGE: Eastern half of north america from southern Canada to the Florida Keys including north eastern Mexico. Also found on extreme west coast from Oregon to Baja California.

HABITAT: Mixed coniferous/deciduous woodlands, moist hardwood forests, swamps, river bottomlands and edges of wooded marshes.

SIZE: LENGTH: 15-19 inches
WINGSPAN: 37-42 inches
WEIGHT: 1.1-1.9 pounds

LIFE EXPECTANCY:
Wild: Unknown
Captivity: Unknown

REPRODUCTION: Nests built in spring usually in deciduous trees(most commonly Oaks and Beeches) near a large open-habitat hunting ground. Eggs laid at 2 day intervals, average clutch size of 3 eggs. Female and male incubate for 33 days. Fledging of the young occurs in 45 days.

DIET:
Wild: small mammals, snakes, lizards, small birds, frogs, toads

BEHAVIOR: These birds hunt using a variety of methods but have good success with aerial hunting. Forage near water source more often than not. They still hunt in the dense woods and are succesfull with this method as well. These birds form pair bonds and are beleived to mate for life.

POINTS OF INTEREST: Red-shouldered hawks will re-use an old nest when possible, and when they do they will place a single sprig of coniferous vegetation on it to "spruce" it up. This serves as a marker to other breeding pairs that this nest is spoken for. Juvenile plumage looks much like a Cooper's hawk. Adult plumage gives bird its "red-shoulders", a barred tail, and a white chin and throat.