The Red-shouldered Hawk hunts from trees in forests and wetlands. Adult plumage varies by region, and juveniles have a different pattern.
Eastern adults show reddish shoulders and breast. The Florida form is more cinnamon colored, while juveniles are brown with streaks.
It watches from a perch in woods or wetlands and captures small animals on the ground. Its prey also includes amphibians and reptiles.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.