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

Hawks favor the ridges of the Green Mountains, particularly along the Appalachian Trail. Prime spots include Mount Philo State Park, Snake Mountain, and the Bread Loaf Mountain area. You also get good looks along the Champlain Valley and near wetlands like the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge. For a broader overview of Vermont birding, check our /wildlife/vermont page.

In Vermont, 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 (late March through May) and fall (September through October) are the top migration windows. Hawks are most active from mid-morning to early afternoon, when thermal updrafts form. Start watching around 9 a.m. and stick with it until 2 p.m. for the best odds. Clear days with light west or northwest winds often push birds along the ridges.

In Vermont you see red-tailed hawks, broad-winged hawks, and Cooper's hawks most often. Red-tails have pale bellies with a dark belly band and a reddish tail visible from above. Broad-winged hawks are smaller with thick black-and-white tail bands. Cooper's hawks have a rounded tail and blue-gray back. Avoid confusion with bald eagles: eagles are much larger with white heads. For more on eagles, visit our /animals/hawk hub.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

Red-tailed hawks stay put through all seasons and are the easiest to spot perched along highways. Cooper's hawks and sharp-shinned hawks are also year-round residents in woodlands. During summer, broad-winged hawks arrive to breed and you can hear their high-pitched whistle. Winter brings rough-legged hawks from the Arctic, often seen hovering over fields.

Look for a thick body, broad wings, and a short, hooked beak. Soaring hawks hold their wings in a slight dihedral (V-shape). Watch for a slow, steady flap and a glide. Contrast with vultures, which wobble and hold wings in a shallow V. Binoculars with 8x or 10x magnification help, as does scanning the edges of open fields from a rise.