What Do Red-Shouldered Hawks Eat? (Full Diet + Habits)

Red-shouldered hawk (buzzard) is a medium-sized bird of prey found on the West Coast and throughout the eastern half of the United States. They are known as birds of forest areas, woodlands and riparian areas, but what do they feed on and how do they find food?

Red-shouldered hawks are highly opportunistic hunters. These birds feed on a variety of small animals, including insects, mammals, small birds, frogs, reptiles, and even fish. They will also eat carrion if possible.

A wide variety of prey has been identified through observation, allowing us to gain insight into the life and biology of these beautiful birds of prey. Knowing what these birds eat can also give us a broader understanding of how the species fits into the ecosystems of North American woodlands.

Read on as we explore the red-shouldered hawk’s diet and hunting methods.

Red-shouldered hawk perched on a tree eating a frog

What do red-shouldered hawks eat in the wild?

Red-shouldered hawks are birds of prey, which means they feed primarily on other animals they hunt. They are opportunistic hunters and will feed on almost any small animal they can catch.

Read on to learn more about the types of prey these hawks hunt.

What animals do red-shouldered hawks eat?

Red-shouldered hawks have been recorded feeding on a variety of different small animals. Their choice of prey usually depends on the animals around them and which ones are the easiest to catch. In general, small mammals make up the most important part of their diet, although frogs can become very important during the rainy season.

Let’s take a look at some of the most commonly reported mammalian prey for the red-shouldered hawk:

• eastern chipmunk
• Meadow and Pine Voles
• Golden mouse, white-footed mouse and deer mouse
• cotton rat
• eastern gray squirrel
• Oriental cottontail
• Oriental mole
• short-tailed shrew

Red-shouldered hawks also feed on a variety of non-mammals. Sometimes these animals can be more numerous and easier to catch than mammals, making them a major food source. The red-shouldered hawk has been seen catching and feeding on the following cold-blooded prey:

• snake
• frogs and toads
• insect
• Crustacean
• fish

Red-shouldered hawk eating a snake

What bird do red-shouldered hawks eat?

Red-shouldered hawks are known to feed on a wide variety of birds. They will often prey on birds that are attracted to the feeder, in which case common backyard birds such as starlings, house sparrows and mourning pigeons are frequent victims.

Red-shouldered hawks also feed on a variety of native songbirds. A Georgia study documented the following species:

• northern cardinals
• Pine, Kentucky and Hooded Warbler
• indigo bunting
• carolina wren
• american robin
• common yellow throat

How much do red-shouldered hawks eat per day?

There is limited data on the amount of food consumed by red-shouldered hawks in the wild. The amount of food these birds need may vary based on the following factors:

• individual size and age
• activity level
• prey type
• ambient temperature

A study of a small sample (2 captive individuals) of red-shouldered hawks found that the birds ate, on average, more than 11% of their body weight per day. As a very rough estimate, an average 600 gram adult may consume about 66 grams of food per day, which is equivalent to 2 or 3 small rodents.

Red-shouldered hawk perched on a wooden post with prey in its beak

How do red-shouldered hawks find food?

Red-shouldered hawks use their keen vision (and to a lesser extent hearing) to detect their prey. They usually hunt from perches, watching the surrounding ground or water for movement.

How do red-shouldered hawks catch prey?

Red-shouldered hawks often fly down from perches to hunt unsuspecting prey. They use their needle-sharp claws and powerful feet to catch their prey. Once impaled, their food has little chance of escaping.

These birds rely on an element of surprise rather than sheer speed to catch their prey. They also fly low over open areas, hoping to surprise critters they can swoop down on. Sometimes these adaptable birds even hunt from the ground.

Red-shouldered hawk swooping down on prey

What time of the day do red-shouldered hawks eat?

One study found no important differences in the amount of prey brought to dens in the morning and afternoon. This suggests that prey may be caught throughout the day, at least while the birds are nesting.

What do red-shouldered hawks eat in winter?

The red-shouldered hawk feeds primarily on small mammals and non-migratory birds that do not hibernate in winter. Only warm-blooded animals are likely to be active and available for falconry this time of year. Cold-blooded prey such as insects, reptiles and amphibians will be harder to find.

Red-shouldered hawk in flight, Florida

What do red-shouldered hawks eat in summer?

Insects, reptiles and amphibians become active as the weather warms, providing the eagles with an important additional food supply. When plentiful, frogs can be a major food source because they are easy to catch.

What do little red-shouldered hawks eat?

The female red-shouldered hawk provides most of the food for the chicks. She delivers the food directly to the baby’s mouth.

In a study of nesting red-shouldered hawks, more than half of the prey transported to the nest were small mammals. However, prey for pups is varied and includes frogs, snakes, birds, insects, and even fish.

Two red-shouldered eagle chicks patiently wait for food in their nest

What can I feed a red-shouldered hawk?

Red-shouldered hawks are generally not attracted to breeders. However, there are some reports that habitual birds are routinely fed small pieces of meat.

What do red-shouldered hawks drink?

Red-shouldered hawks drink fresh water from shallow streams and ponds. The high water content of their prey also helps them stay well hydrated.

Red-shouldered hawk flies with recently caught snake

How do I attract red-shouldered hawks to my yard?

The best way to attract red-shouldered hawks to your yard is to create the micro-habitats they like to hunt, nest and roost. Some homeowners inadvertently attract songbirds to their yards by offering them food and water.

Mature woodland-style gardens with natural water features can be especially attractive to these hawks. Planting native plant species that attract a variety of critters will also increase your chances of attracting red-shouldered hawks.

Are red-shouldered hawks omnivores?

Red-shouldered hawks are known to be omnivorous. They eat a variety of different animals, including carrion, but they don’t eat any fruit, grains, or other plant material. Therefore, these birds are classified as carnivores.

Red-shouldered hawk perched on a branch in the forest

Red Shouldered Hawk Diet FAQs

Do red-shouldered hawks eat squirrels?

Eastern gray squirrels have been identified as part of the diet of red-shouldered hawks. Where possible, they may also feed on western chinchillas, foxes, and flying squirrels.

Do red-shouldered hawks eat small dogs?

Red-shouldered hawks typically feed on prey weighing only a few ounces, so pet owners needn’t worry. They are extremely unlikely to eat dogs, although they may eat a puppy or feed on a dog that died from other causes.

Do red-shouldered hawks eat hummingbirds?

Eagles generally do not feed on hummingbirds. The effort to capture these little birds is not worth the effort. In fact, there is some evidence that hummingbirds benefit from having hawks around, as raptors reduce the number of other potential predators.

Red-shouldered hawk looking for prey in the forest

Do red-shouldered hawks eat chicken?

Red-shouldered hawks do not often feed on chickens, although it is certainly possible for them to do so. These hawks tend to specialize in smaller prey, but can catch chicks and small breeds.

Do red-shouldered hawks eat cats?

Red-shouldered hawks are unlikely to feed on house cats. Such a meal would be too big and dangerous for these birds. However, it is possible that they feed on young cats, but any adult cat fed by a red-shouldered hawk is likely to die from unrelated causes.

Do red-shouldered hawks eat bugs?

Although red-shouldered hawks have the ability to hunt larger, faster prey, they are also happy to feed on insects and other invertebrates. Unsurprisingly, they are known to feed on worms and grubs.

A red-shouldered hawk foraging on the ground in search of prey

Do red-shouldered hawks eat ducks?

Birds are an important part of a red-shouldered hawk’s diet, although small songbirds are most often targeted. Red-shouldered hawks have been seen with ducklings, but the importance of ducks as a source of prey is unclear.

Do red-shouldered hawks eat fish?

Red-shouldered hawks have been recorded feeding on yellow perch (Perca flavescens). They would no doubt prey on other fish if possible, but this was not a significant part of their diet.

Do red-shouldered hawks eat rabbits?

Red-shouldered hawks will occasionally feed on rabbits, although this is unusually large prey for these birds. They have been observed feeding on eastern cottontails (Florida Scotch Pine).