Red-shouldered Hawk in April
Where red-shouldered hawks are in April, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
April in the Red-shouldered Hawk's year
April is when spring migration hits its stride. Waves of migrants move north on warm southerly winds, wintering birds leave for good, and early nesters are already on eggs in the South. Every week brings species that weren't there the week before.
For the Red-shouldered Hawk specifically, April is a spring month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 42 states and provinces where red-shouldered hawks occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where red-shouldered hawks are in April
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In April, red-shouldered hawks are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in April
April is inside the Red-shouldered Hawk nesting season. Nest: stick nest in the main crotch of a tall tree. Clutch 2–5 eggs, incubation 32–40 days, 1 per season.
The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in April
- Frogs, snakes, chipmunks and crayfish
A woodland hawk of leafy suburbs, often perching low over ponds and yards. Blue Jays copy its call.
Migrants arriving after long flights are hungry — feeders can be genuine lifelines during cold, wet spells that suppress insects.
Full Red-shouldered Hawk diet guide → · Best feeder for red-shouldered hawks →
Watching red-shouldered hawks this month
In April, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region red-shouldered hawks are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Red-shouldered Hawk month by month
Red-shouldered Hawk by state
Frequently asked
Where are red-shouldered hawks in April?
In April, red-shouldered hawks are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do red-shouldered hawks nest in April?
Yes — April falls inside the Red-shouldered Hawk nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do red-shouldered hawks eat in April?
Frogs, snakes, chipmunks and crayfish.
Sources
- Red-shouldered Hawk — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-shouldered Hawk life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-shouldered Hawk — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
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.