Species Guide

Browse raptor species and filter by state, permit level, and size category.

Showing 47 species

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Beginner

Small

Insects, small birds, small rodents

Aplomado Falcon

Falco femoralis

Advanced

Medium

Birds, insects, small mammals

Asiatic Sparrow Hawk

Accipiter gularis

Intermediate

Small

Small birds, insects

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Master

Very Large

Fish, waterfowl, carrion

Barn Owl

Tyto alba

Intermediate

Medium

Barred Owl

Strix varia

Intermediate

Medium-Large

Small mammals, birds

Boreal Owl

Aegolius funereus

Intermediate

Small

Small mammals, birds

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

Intermediate

Medium

Burrowing Owl

Athene cunicularia

Intermediate

Medium

Common Black-Hawk

Buteogallus anthracinus

Intermediate

Medium-Large

Fish, crabs, small reptiles, amphibians

Cooper's Hawk

Accipiter cooperii

Intermediate

Medium

Medium-sized birds, small mammals

Eastern Screech-Owl

Megascops asio

Beginner

Small

Insects, small mammals, birds

Elf Owl

Micrathene whitneyi

Beginner

Very Small

Insects, especially moths and beetles

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

Bubo bubo

Expert

Very Large

Mammals, birds, reptiles

Eurasian Kestrel

Falco tinnunculus

Intermediate

Small

Insects, small birds, small rodents

Ferruginous Hawk

Buteo regalis

Advanced

Large

Rabbits, ground squirrels, prairie dogs

Flammulated Owl

Psiloscops flammeolus

Advanced

Small

Insects, especially moths

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

Master

Very Large

Rabbits, hares, marmots, foxes, young deer

Gray Hawk

Buteo plagiatus

Intermediate

Small-Medium

Lizards, small mammals, birds, insects

Great Gray Owl

Strix nebulosa

Advanced

Large

Small mammals, especially voles

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Advanced

Large

Mammals, birds, reptiles

Gyrfalcon

Falco rusticolus

Expert

Large

Ptarmigan, waterfowl, rabbits

Harris's Hawk

Parabuteo unicinctus

Beginner

Medium-Large

Rabbits, birds, lizards, rodents

Long-eared Owl

Asio otus

Intermediate

Medium

Small mammals, especially voles

Merlin

Falco columbarius

Intermediate

Small

Small birds, large insects

Northern Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis

Advanced

Large

Rabbits, squirrels, game birds, waterfowl

Northern Harrier

Circus hudsonius

Intermediate

Medium

Small mammals, birds

Northern Hawk-Owl

Surnia ulula

Intermediate

Medium

Small mammals, birds

Northern Pygmy-Owl

Glaucidium gnoma

Beginner

Very Small

Small birds, insects, small mammals

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus

Beginner

Very Small

Small mammals, insects

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

Advanced

Large

Fish

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Advanced

Medium-Large

Birds (pigeons, ducks, shorebirds)

Prairie Falcon

Falco mexicanus

Advanced

Medium-Large

Ground squirrels, rabbits, birds

Red-shouldered Hawk

Buteo lineatus

Intermediate

Medium

Small mammals, reptiles, amphibians

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Beginner

Large

Rabbits, squirrels, rodents, occasionally birds

Rough-legged Hawk

Buteo lagopus

Intermediate

Large

Small mammals, especially voles and lemmings

Saker Falcon

Falco cherrug

Intermediate

Large

Ground squirrels, other small mammals, birds

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Intermediate

Small

Small birds, occasionally small mammals

Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeus

Intermediate

Medium

Small mammals, especially voles

Snowy Owl

Bubo scandiacus

Intermediate

Medium

Spotted Owl

Strix occidentalis

Advanced

Medium

Small mammals, flying squirrels, wood rats

Steller's Sea Eagle

Haliaeetus pelagicus

Advanced

Large

Swainson's Hawk

Buteo swainsoni

Intermediate

Medium-Large

Small mammals, insects, reptiles

Western Screech-Owl

Megascops kennicottii

Beginner

Small

Insects, small mammals, birds

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

Advanced

Large

White-tailed Hawk

Geranoaetus albicaudatus

Intermediate

Medium-Large

Small mammals, reptiles, birds

Zone-tailed Hawk

Buteo albonotatus

Intermediate

Medium-Large

Small mammals, birds, reptiles