Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons in New Mexico

List of Different Types of Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons in New Mexico

Eagles

There are two types of eagles native to New Mexico.

• Bald Eagle
• Golden Eagle

Hawks

• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Cooper’s Hawk
• American Goshawk
• Common Black Hawk
• Harris’s Hawk
• Broad-winged Hawk
• Swainson’s Hawk
• Zone-tailed Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Ferruginous Hawk
• Short-tailed Hawk (Accidental)
• Red-shouldered Hawk (Accidental)
• White-tailed Hawk (Accidental)
• Gray hawk (Accidental)

Falcons

• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• Peregrine Falcon
• Prairie Falcon
• Aplomado Falcon (Accidental)
• Crested Caracara (Accidental)

New Mexico is home to the US’s smallest falcon – the American kestrel. It is larger than the robin but smaller than a crow. The peregrine falcon is a year-round resident that is found across the state. It favors areas with canyons and high cliffs as they provide the mighty falcon with ideal nesting habitat.

Ospreys

• Osprey

Harriers

• Northern Harrier

Birders can visit the Manzano Mountains HawkWatch, where 5,000-7,000 migrants of up to 18 raptor species can be viewed annually. The best time to visit is the fall migration season. Golden eagles and Swainson’s, sharp-shinned, and Cooper’s hawks are the most abundant species here. The best part about the spot is the presence of the resident zone-tailed hawks that are not a common sight at hawk-watches of the West. The rare gray hawk can be seen at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Other popular sites for seeing hawks are Rio Grande Nature Center State Park and Percha Dam State Park.