When do red-tailed hawks arrive in Northwest Territories?
The Red-tailed Hawk is a summer breeder in Northwest Territories — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Red-tailed Hawk timing in Northwest Territories
- Arrives
- Around February
- Leaves
- By July
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- March–June
- Present roughly
- February–July
In Northwest Territories, red-tailed hawks are present through the warm months, arriving around February and heading south again by July.
These windows are set by latitude: Northwest Territories sits in the northern part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when red-tailed hawks are expected in Northwest Territories. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before February is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early February — the first red-tailed hawks into Northwest Territories are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around March, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What red-tailed hawks eat while they're here
- Voles, mice, ground squirrels and snakes
Perches on poles and trees over open yards and fields; keeps rodent numbers down around rural homes.
Full Red-tailed Hawk diet guide → · Best feeder for red-tailed hawks →
Native plants that hold red-tailed hawks in Northwest Territories
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Northwest Territories-native plants are known to attract red-tailed hawks:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
Spruce-budworm habitat and dense winter roosting cover.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Catkin seed for redpolls on the tundra.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do red-tailed hawks arrive in Northwest Territories?
red-tailed hawks typically arrive in Northwest Territories around February, with nesting underway by March. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do red-tailed hawks leave Northwest Territories?
Most red-tailed hawks have left Northwest Territories by July. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do red-tailed hawks stay in Northwest Territories all year?
No — in Northwest Territories the Red-tailed Hawk is a summer breeder, present roughly February–July. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before red-tailed hawks arrive in Northwest Territories?
Have feeders up and clean by early February — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: voles, mice, ground squirrels and snakes.
Sources
- Red-tailed Hawk — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-tailed Hawk life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-tailed Hawk — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Northwest Territories
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.