Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
A medium sized hawk, resident around Montreal throughout the year. This species is a forest raptor searching for prey while perched on a treetop or soaring over woodland.
- 🇫🇷 Buse à épaulettes
- 🇩🇪 Rotschulterbussard
- 🇲🇽 Busardo hombrorrojo
Characteristics
- Length: 45-68cm
- Weight: 600-1000g
- Wingspan: 101-127cm
How to Identify
Look for the reddish colouring of breast and shoulder. On flight, notice the reddish color on the lower part of the tail feathers.
Tap image to enlarge
Tap image to enlarge
Tap image to enlarge
Tap image to enlarge
Click on photo to enlarge.
Where and When to Spot
For the best chance to see one or even a couple, visit Park Angrignon, Park Pointe-aux-Prairies or Park Bernard-Laundry (Laval) in winter or early spring. Best season of the year is winter or early spring due to lack of leaves. This species likes to perch on treetop and without lush vegetation it is better visible.
Observations by Park and Season
| Location | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jardin Botanique de Montréal | x | x | - | - |
| Parc Angrignon | x | - | - | - |
| Parc Bernard-Landry | x | - | - | - |
| Parc Michel-Chartrand | x | - | x | x |
"-" indicates no observation. It may not necessarily mean though that the species is absent from the park during that season.