Hawks in Nebraska: where to see them and how to identify them

The Platte River corridor, especially near the Rowe Sanctuary, holds the highest densities of migrating red-tailed and Swainson's hawks. The Sandhills grasslands host ferruginous and rough-legged hawks in winter. Further west, the Loess Canyons and Pine Ridge provide nesting habitat for red-shouldered and Cooper's hawks. For year-round odds, check the /wildlife/nebraska hub for detailed map guidance.

See our state wildlife page for the next step.

In Nebraska, hawks sightings usually improve when you slow down and match your first stop to where in the state sightings are most likely. Use the state wildlife hub and the route guide to narrow your first area, then check access, weather, and distance before you settle in. A short walk with one clear viewing plan often beats covering too much ground, especially when habitat changes fast from open edges to brush, wetlands, timber, shoreline, or neighborhood cover.

Spring migration (March to May) brings large numbers of broad-winged and Swainson's hawks moving north, with peak activity in late April and early May. Fall migration (September to November) peaks in October with red-tailed and Cooper's hawks moving south. Early morning hours, around sunrise to 10 a.m., offer the most active hunting and soaring as thermals warm and hawks rise to catch prey. Winter visitors like rough-legged hawks are best seen from December through February on the eastern plains. Summer residents including red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks defend territories and hunt actively throughout June and July.

See our Hawks guide for the next step.

Red-tailed hawks show a clear dark belly band on a pale chest, while red-shouldered hawks have a reddish breast and fine barring on the tail. In flight, red-tails have a distinctive dark leading edge on the wing and a bright red tail (adults only; juveniles are brown). Red-shouldered hawks show translucent wing panels visible in flight and a narrower, more finely barred tail. Size matters too: red-shouldered hawks are slightly smaller with shorter, broader wings suited to maneuvers in wooded areas. Red-tails prefer open country and reach higher altitudes. For side by side comparisons, visit our /animals/hawk identification page.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

Besides the common red-tailed, you'll see Cooper's hawks in wooded suburbs and neighborhoods, sharp-shinned hawks (the smallest, look for smaller size and square tail), and Swainson's hawks in open farmlands. Rough-legged hawks visit in winter, recognizable by their feathered legs and hovering flight. Ferruginous hawks are the largest but rare, reaching 26 inches and found mainly in western grasslands. Prairie falcons and American kestrels (falcons, not true hawks) are often mistaken for hawks but belong to a different family and have different hunting strategies. Northern harriers glide low over fields and marshes with a distinctive wing angle.

Hitchcock Nature Center (Pottawattamie County) has a dedicated hawk watch platform with volunteers during migration. The Platte River Basin Audubon organizes fall counts. Also try the Nebraska Birding Trail's eastern loop for marked viewing sites. Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Nebraska offers excellent sightings in spring and fall. For a full list of sites, refer to the /wildlife/nebraska state page. Many parks offer open sight lines over valleys where hawks soar on thermals.