Where is the only place in the United States to see a White-tailed Hawk?

In the United States, the White-tailed Hawk is found only along the Texas Gulf Coast, from Corpus Christi south through the lower Rio Grande Valley. It favors open coastal prairie and agricultural land. The King Ranch, Laguna Atascosa NWR, and the prairie roads of Willacy and Kenedy counties are among the most reliable sites.

How do you identify a White-tailed Hawk?

Adults are gray above and white below, with bright rufous shoulder patches and a short white tail with a dark subterminal band. In flight the combination of white belly, rufous shoulders, and short white tail is distinctive. Immatures are dark brown and can be confusing, but the white tail base is usually visible even on young birds.

Is the White-tailed Hawk a buteo?

Yes, the White-tailed Hawk is a large buteo — formerly placed in the genus Buteo (as Buteo albicaudatus) and now reclassified to Geranoaetus. It is one of the largest buteos in North America, with a wingspan of 50–55 inches. In soaring flight, the broad wings and relatively short tail are typical of the buteo shape.

When is the best time to see a White-tailed Hawk in Texas?

White-tailed Hawks are year-round residents of the Texas Gulf Coast prairie and can be seen in any season. They are most visible when soaring on thermals in warm weather and during grassland fires, which concentrate prey. Drive rural roads in Cameron, Willacy, and Kenedy counties and scan open fields and fence posts.

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Texas Gulf Coast · Year-round Resident

White-tailed Hawk

Geranoaetus albicaudatus · Aguililla coliblanca

Resident

White-tailed Hawk perched showing white tail and rusty shoulders

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Overview

The White-tailed Hawk is one of the most handsome raptors in North America, and South Texas is the only place in the United States where it can be reliably found. A large, powerful buteo of open coastal prairie, it is a conspicuous presence on utility poles and fence posts across the brushy grasslands between Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande — soaring overhead on long, broad wings with the diagnostic clean white tail clearly visible.

Identification

Adults are striking: clean white underparts, dark gray back and wings, a bold rusty-red patch on the shoulder (scapulars), and a clean white tail with a single narrow black subterminal band. The wings are long and pointed for a buteo, angled back at the wrist in a distinctive kite-like posture when soaring. The face and chest are white, contrasting sharply with the dark upperparts.

Immature birds are variable and go through several plumage stages over three years — typically dark brown or blackish with a pale chest patch and showing the white tail early. The rusty shoulder patch is usually visible even in young birds. At all ages, the long wings and clean white tail are the most reliable field marks.

Habitat & Range

White-tailed Hawks are birds of open country — coastal prairie, brushy grassland, and savanna with scattered shrubs and trees for perching. In South Texas they are most abundant in the coastal prairie zone of Cameron, Willacy, and Kenedy counties, where flat grasslands and low brush provide ideal hunting habitat.

The U.S. range is essentially restricted to coastal Texas, from the Corpus Christi area south to the Rio Grande. The species is more widespread in Mexico, Central America, and South America, where it inhabits a variety of open and semi-open lowland habitats.

Behavior & Diet

An opportunistic predator of open country, the White-tailed Hawk takes small mammals, rabbits, snakes, lizards, large insects, and birds. One notable behavior: they are attracted to grass fires, gathering to catch fleeing prey at the fire's edge — a habit shared with some African raptors and a few other species.

They build large stick nests in low trees, shrubs, or yucca, typically 5–15 feet off the ground. Pairs are monogamous and tend to reuse the same nest site across years. Breeding occurs from February through June; clutch size is typically two eggs.

Where to See in South Texas

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge

Rio Hondo

South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center

South Padre Island

Coastal prairie roads, Cameron & Willacy counties

Coastal Bend

Scan utility poles and fence posts along coastal prairie roads. In flight, the white tail and long angled wings are visible from a great distance.

Conservation Status

IUCN: Least Concern

Stable across its range. In South Texas, conversion of native coastal prairie to agriculture and development is the primary local threat. The species adapts reasonably well to lightly farmed landscapes but depends on open habitat with available prey and nest sites.

Fun Fact

White-tailed Hawks are known to congregate around grass fires — sometimes dozens of birds — to catch small animals fleeing the flames. This fire-following behavior is well documented and makes them one of the few North American raptors to actively exploit wildfires as a hunting opportunity.

In the News

South Texas Raptor Specialties: 7 Birds of Prey You Can Only Find HereThe White-tailed Hawk is found in the United States only on South Texas coastal prairie — a large, handsome buteo with a snow-white tail and a habit of following grass fires to hunt fleeing prey.Read article →South Texas Fall Hawk Migration: Broad-winged Kettles at BentsenWhite-tailed Hawks are year-round residents of South Texas coastal prairie — a striking permanent backdrop to the tens of thousands of migrating raptors that pass through each fall.Read article →

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