Birds of Prey

Take a long drive anywhere in Massachusetts and you're likely to see a hawk—perhaps perched in a roadside tree or soaring over an open field. While it's sometimes applied to unrelated birds of prey, only the slender Accipiter and stocky Buteo species are actually classified as "hawks." Learn more >

Scientists used to classify falcons among the hawks. But more recent research has determined they are actually more closely related to woodpeckers! Learn more >

There are several other birds of prey often lumped in with hawks and falcons. However, they are not as closely related from a scientific perspective. Learn more >

Hawk watching is a unique form of birdwatching. Most birds are best observed, identified, and appreciated when they are resting on the ground, water, or perched in vegetation. On the other hand, hawks seem to provide the most pleasure and excitement when they are in the air, soaring, gliding, flapping, or stooping in awesome aerial displays. Learn more >