Swainson’s Hawk breeds in western North America and migrates to South America for winter; it eats many insects outside the breeding season.
It has long, slender wings, and its plumage ranges from light to dark morphs.
Swainson’s Hawks in California’s Natomas Basin traveled about 8–10 km from their nests during the breeding season. A 2011–2013 study tracked 23 adults fitted with GPS transmitters. Their median seasonal home ranges varied from 87 to 172 square kilometres among years.
The density of locations was more strongly associated with grassland and alfalfa than with other mapped land-cover classes. The hawks moved across open fields and returned to nests where they raised young. The authors also considered the availability of nesting trees as a possible factor in reproductive success and recruitment.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Tracked Swainson’s Hawks in the Natomas Basin traveled up to about 8–10 km from nests, with location records more strongly associated with grassland and alfalfa. The authors also identify nesting-tree availability as relevant to reproductive success.