Red Shouldered Hawk, Juvenile

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Red-shouldered hawks typically live and hunt in the forest. They prefer forested areas with an an open sub-canopy, which makes their hunting easier. Like most hawks they tend to be quite skittish if approached too closely. Their appearance varies throughout their range. For instance, western birds are generally more more red and Florida birds are generally more pale. Juveniles are more brown above with a less reddish tone on their shoulders.