BUTEO
To identify the Buteo genus, it is best to concentrate on the bird’s silhouette in flight —broad wings with “fingers” and a relatively short tail. As most Buteos are relatively large birds of prey, the full wings are necessary to catch thermals for soaring. A long tail is not needed because the birds do not maneuver quickly. It is hard to distinguish based on flight patterns as the wingbeats vary based several factors including weather and maturity of the bird.
Broad-Wing - Red Shoulder Hawk - Red Tail Hawk