Best Time to See Hawks in the US
January, April and March is the best time to see hawks in the United States. This is a national picture built from 927,777 verified iNaturalist observations across 50 states, showing when and where hawks are most active.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself.
927,777 verified observations of hawks in the US, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.
When hawks are recorded in the US
Peak month
January
102,334 records (11% of the year)
| Month | Observations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Januarypeak | 102,334 | 11% |
| February | 90,132 | 9.7% |
| Marchpeak | 90,736 | 9.8% |
| Aprilpeak | 94,289 | 10.2% |
| May | 78,397 | 8.4% |
| June | 60,534 | 6.5% |
| July | 56,021 | 6% |
| August | 56,876 | 6.1% |
| September | 60,056 | 6.5% |
| October | 69,422 | 7.5% |
| November | 78,676 | 8.5% |
| December | 90,304 | 9.7% |
Hawks you are most likely to see
| Species | Verified observations |
|---|---|
| Red-tailed Hawk | 280,175 |
| Bald Eagle | 158,564 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 158,142 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 119,929 |
| Northern Harrier | 45,421 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 20,342 |
| Mississippi Kite | 17,986 |
| White-tailed Kite | 13,783 |
Across the country, hawks sightings peak in January, when 102,334 of the 927,777 annual observations are logged, about 11% of the national total. Nationwide activity stays high through January, April and March.
The best states to see hawks by recorded sightings are California (242,207), Texas (112,388), Florida (61,118), Washington (29,545) and Oregon (27,612). Each state page below breaks the year down month by month for that state.
The hawks you are most likely to encounter nationwide are Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle and Red-shouldered Hawk, the most-recorded species across all states combined.
Best states to see hawks
- hawks in California242,207 sightings, peak January
- hawks in Texas112,388 sightings, peak January
- hawks in Florida61,118 sightings, peak January
- hawks in Washington29,545 sightings, peak April
- hawks in Oregon27,612 sightings, peak December
- hawks in New York27,209 sightings, peak January
- hawks in Pennsylvania25,854 sightings, peak March
- hawks in Ohio25,177 sightings, peak April
- hawks in Maryland24,176 sightings, peak January
- hawks in Colorado24,175 sightings, peak April
- hawks in Arizona23,428 sightings, peak January
- hawks in Virginia21,947 sightings, peak January
- hawks in Massachusetts20,697 sightings, peak April
- hawks in Illinois20,013 sightings, peak January
- hawks in North Carolina17,753 sightings, peak January
Most-recorded hawks species nationwide
- Red-tailed Hawk280,175 records
- Bald Eagle158,564 records
- Red-shouldered Hawk158,142 records
- Cooper's Hawk119,929 records
- Northern Harrier45,421 records
- Swainson's Hawk20,342 records
Plan your hawk trip in California
Start with live tours near California, then compare a nearby stay and a broader wildlife backup before you lock in the trip.
GetYourGuide
Live tours nearbySee live tours near California
Use the live GetYourGuide widget to compare local departures and activity styles close to the main hawk viewing area.
Booking.com
Stay nearbyStay near California
Compare hotels, cabins and lodges close to the best hawk viewing area in California.
Viator
Broader backupBook a hawk tour in California
Compare guided wildlife tours, boat trips and nature experiences if you want a second travel network beyond the live widget.
Gear to see them
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see hawks in the US?+
January is the single best month nationwide, with the broader peak running through January, April and March, based on 927,777 verified observations across 50 states.
Which states are best for seeing hawks?+
By recorded sightings, the top states are California, Texas and Florida. California leads with 242,207 verified observations.
How many hawks sightings are recorded in the US each year?+
About 927,777 verified hawks observations are logged on iNaturalist across 50 states with enough data to chart a seasonal pattern.
What kinds of hawks live in the US?+
The most-recorded species nationwide are Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle and Red-shouldered Hawk, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.