Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons in Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s landscapes, though compact, play a vital role in raptor survival. The state’s woodlands and coastal areas host the sharp-shinned hawk, a stealthy forest hunter. The osprey, or “fish hawk,” thrives near its abundant water bodies and sea shores. At the same time, adaptive peregrine falcons inhabiting its cities capitalize on the state’s human-altered environment for nesting and hunting. 

List of Different Types of Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons in Rhode Island

Eagles

There are two types of eagles native to Rhode Island.

• Bald Eagle
• Golden Eagle

Hawks

• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Cooper’s Hawk
• American Goshawk
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Broad-winged Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Swainson’s Hawk (Accidental)
• Zone-tailed Hawk (Accidental)

The broad-winged hawks are migratory. These small hawks visit Rhode Island during the spring-summer breeding season. On the other hand, the Cooper’s hawks are year-round residents of the Ocean State.

Falcons

• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• Peregrine Falcon
• Gyrfalcon (Accidental)

Ospreys

• Osprey

Harriers

• Northern Harrier

Thousands of raptors fly south through Rhode Island to their wintering destinations every fall. The migration continues from late August to October. Still, the best time to see the hawk migration is mid-September to mid-October.

As Rhode Island has no mountain ridge, you can head to the coast to view its falcons, hawks, and eagles. Napatree Point is an excellent spot where the birds fly over the dunes. On a good day, you can see streams of them. Block Island is the perfect place for seeing falcons in the fall. Audubon’s Lewis Dicken’s farm and the island bluffs are spots where the merlins, peregrines, and kestrels majestically fly through the sky.