Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons in California

California, the largest state in the US, is located on the West Coast. It boasts more than 700 species of birds due to its enormous size and diverse habitats, including beaches, deserts, marshlands, arid scrub, grasslands, redwood forests, and so much more. A sizeable portion of its avian population is majestic birds of prey like eagles, falcons, and hawks.

List of Different Types of Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons in California

Eagles

Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle

Hawks

Red-Tailed Hawk
Red-Shouldered Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Zone-tailed Hawk
Harris’s Hawk
Common Black Hawk (Accidental)
Gray Hawk (Accidental)

Besides the above, broad-winged hawks are also found in the state but are extremely uncommon and can only be seen during migration. Southern California has the red-tailed, ferruginous, red-shouldered, Cooper’s, and sharp-shinned hawks. The northern goshawk is more common in Northern California.

Falcons

The peregrine falcon is commonly seen year-round in the state. On the other hand, the prairie falcon can be spotted year-round in Southern California, with their numbers increasing from November to January.

American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Prairie Falcon
Crested Caracara (Accidental)
Eurasian Kestrel (Accidental)
Gyrfalcon (Accidental)

Harriers

Northern Harrier

The bald eagle can be seen in many lakes like Baldwin Lake, Big Bear Lake, Silverwood Lake, and Lake Arrowhead. In spring and winter, you can also spot them in the Monterey Bay area. The red-tailed hawks are common year-round in California along forest edges, prairie groves, open woodlands, and any place with trees or tall perches and open hunting grounds.