14 Types of Eagles in Massachusetts
14 types of eagles from the hawk and eagle family (Accipitridae) have a verified observation record in Massachusetts. The most frequently recorded are Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk and Bald Eagle. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
Quick Answer
14 types of eagles from the hawk and eagle family (Accipitridae) have a verified observation record in Massachusetts. The most frequently recorded are Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk and Bald Eagle. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
More Pages
More eagle pages for Massachusetts
Jump back to the main page for this route cluster.
Verified species, source iNaturalist
14 types of eagles recorded in Massachusetts
14 eagles species have a verified observation record in Massachusetts across the hawk and eagle family (Accipitridae), each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.
| # | Species | Scientific name | Verified records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | 9,889 |
| 2 | Cooper's Hawk | Astur cooperii | 3,595 |
| 3 | Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | 2,615 |
| 4 | Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus | 1,284 |
| 5 | Northern Harrier | Circus hudsonius | 1,138 |
| 6 | Broad-winged Hawk | Buteo platypterus | 675 |
| 7 | Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | 508 |
| 8 | Rough-legged Hawk | Buteo lagopus | 102 |
| 9 | Mississippi Kite | Ictinia mississippiensis | 48 |
| 10 | Swallow-tailed Kite | Elanoides forficatus | 34 |
| 11 | Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | 32 |
| 12 | Steller's Sea-Eagle | Haliaeetus pelagicus | 18 |
| 13 | American Goshawk | Astur atricapillus | 17 |
| 14 | Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | 11 |
Plus 1 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.
Gear and field guides
The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is the most commonly recorded, with 9,889 verified observations — about 50% of all eagles reported in Massachusetts. If you spot a eagle here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.
Massachusetts also hosts less common eagles such as Mississippi Kite, Swallow-tailed Kite and Swainson's Hawk, each recorded fewer than 100 times. These are the species worth a second look when you are out, since a sighting is more notable.