Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons in Washington

List of Different Types of Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons in Washington

Eagles

There are two types of eagles native to Washington state.

• Bald Eagle
• Golden Eagle

The nesting eagles’ breeding season starts in late September and continues until early October. Their nesting season lasts from late September through early August. They lay eggs generally from late winter to early spring. As of 2023, the state has 900 pairs of bald eagles.

Hawks

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

The beautiful ferruginous hawks, the largest in North America, live in the open areas of Washington. The incredibly acrobatic and athletic sharp-shinned hawks are the smallest in the state.

Falcons

• American Kestrel
• Merlin
• Gyrfalcon
• Peregrine Falcon
• Prairie Falcon
• Crested Caracara (Accidental)
• Eurasian Kestrel (Accidental)
• Eurasian Hobby (Accidental)

Ospreys

• Osprey

Harriers

• Northern Harrier

The best places to view eagles are the Nooksack River down Mosquito Lake Road and the scenic and wild Skagit River. The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center in Howard Miller Steelhead Park, Rockport, is an excellent resource since it offers guest speakers and guided hikes. Bald eagles nest primarily along major northeastern and western Washington rivers and marine shorelines. Nests are absent or rare in southeastern Washington and the Columbia Basin, but overwintering birds are common locally.