Red-tailed Hawk

About the Red-tailed Hawk

The most common raptor along the Front Range. Watch for them soaring on thermals or perched on poles.

When to See Them in Colorado

Year-round. The Red-tailed Hawk is a permanent resident along the Front Range and one of Colorado's most reliable backyard visitors. You can spot them at your feeders in every season — from the depths of a Denver winter to the peak of summer heat. Their population tends to peak in late fall and winter when resident birds flock together and become even more feeder-dependent.

Birding tip: Morning hours — especially the first two hours after sunrise — are when resident species like the Red-tailed Hawk are most active and vocal. Set up your feeders in a spot with good sightlines from a window and you'll rarely miss them.

What They Eat

In Colorado, the Red-tailed Hawk's diet reflects what's locally available across seasons. At feeders, they're most drawn to Not a feeder bird — hunts rodents, which mirrors the high-energy foods they seek in the wild. Offering the right food in the right feeder is the single biggest factor in successfully attracting Red-tailed Hawks to your yard.

During nesting season (typically April–July on the Front Range), Red-tailed Hawks also rely heavily on insects as a protein source for their young — so a pesticide-free garden benefits them beyond just the feeder.

How to Attract Them to Your Yard

Creating a welcoming habitat for Red-tailed Hawks in Colorado is straightforward once you understand what they need. Here are the most effective steps our experts recommend:

• Provide a clean water source year-round. A heated bird bath is one of the best investments you can make for winter birding along the Front Range — fresh water is often scarcer than food on cold days.
• Plant native shrubs and trees that produce berries or shelter nesting birds. Serviceberry, chokecherry, and native viburnums are excellent choices for Colorado front-range gardens.
• Keep feeders within 3 feet or beyond 30 feet of windows to minimize window strike risk — the most common cause of feeder-bird fatalities.
• Clean feeders regularly. Moldy or wet seed drives birds away and can spread disease through your local bird population. WBU No-Mess blends minimize hulls and spoilage.