Swainson's Hawk Photos

Photography by Terry Sohl

My Favorite: I always think Swainson's Hawks are so gorgeous to begin with, but really loved getting this one in the warm morning light. He clearly had just fed, as you can tell by the dried blood on his feet. Taken in May 2005 near Lake Thompson in Kingsbury County, South Dakota.

Photo of Swainson's Hawk - Buteo swainsoni


Swainson's Hawk 1	Swainson's Hawk 2	Swainson's Hawk 3	Swainson's Hawk 4
April 17th, 2006	August 17th, 2004	August 17th, 2004	April 30th, 2005
Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Fort Pierre National Grasslands, South Dakota	Fort Pierre National Grasslands, South Dakota	Kingsbury County, South Dakota
Intermediate / Rufous morph bird in fresh spring plumage	First-year, juvenile bird on fence post	First-year, juvenile bird on fence post	Light-morph bird taking flight from fence post

Swainson's Hawk 5	Swainson's Hawk 6	Swainson's Hawk 7	Swainson's Hawk 8
April 30th, 2005	April 17th, 2006	April 30th, 2005	May 3rd, 2005
Kingsbury County, South Dakota	Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Kingsbury County, South Dakota	Kingsbury County, South Dakota
Light-morph bird in flight, showing underwing	Intermediate-morph bird posed on a fence post	Light-morph bird in flight, showing top of wings	Light-morph bird, fresh off a meal (blood on talons)

Swainson's Hawk 9	Swainson's Hawk 10	Swainson's Hawk 11	Swainson's Hawk 12
June 21st, 2008	June 21st, 2008	July 23rd, 2011	July 23rd, 2011
Northern California	Northern California	Grand River National Grasslands, South Dakota	Grand River National Grasslands, South Dakota
Dark-morph adult posing on a telephone pole	Dark-morph adult posing on a telephone pole	Intermediate morph adult posing on a fence amidst flowers	Intermediate morph adult posing on a fence amidst flowers

Swainson's Hawk 13	Swainson's Hawk 14	Swainson's Hawk 15	Swainson's Hawk 16
July 23rd, 2011	April 24th, 2011	April 15th, 2017	April 29th, 2016
Grand River National Grasslands, South Dakota	Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Intermediate morph adult posting on fence amidst flowers	Intermediate morph posing on a wooden fence post	Light morph in flight with full wing spread	Light morph bird posing on a fence post

Swainson's Hawk 17	Swainson's Hawk 18	Swainson's Hawk 19
April 29th, 2016	April 16th, 2018	April 16th, 2018
Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Light morph bird about to take flight from a fence post	Light/intermediate morph bird in early morning sun	Dark-morph bird giving over-the-shoulder look at back plumage