ASL STEM

Definition

Redshoulders are slender, forest-dwelling Buteos that occur throughout much of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, as well as in Oregon, California, and Mexico. The species tends to prefer large, mature, contiguous, mixed deciduous coniferous forests with open understories. Red-shouldered Hawks favor wet forests, particularly bottomlands near streams, rivers, swamps, and marshes. In the early 1900s the Red-shouldered Hawk was the most common Buteo in New England. Twentieth Century logging of mature forests, which benefited the Redtailed Hawk, reduced the amount of habitat suitable for Red-shouldered Hawks. Loss of large forests also fostered more frequent competition with, and predation by, Great Horned Owls.

Source: Hawkmountain.org