The Red-shoulder Project

In 2023, we saw some fledgling Red-shouldered Hawks, but we didn't see them growing up. We wanted to watch the chicks grow from eggs all the way into fledglings. We have seen the parent Red-shoulders, who we named "Ruby" and "Red". From eBird reports, we know they have nested at the same place since 2021, possibly before. This page is dedicated to some of our observations and a list of links to the times we have seen these amazing hawks.

Please be aware that I use a telephoto lens with a long-distance zoom. My family and I do not get close to the nest.

Red-shouldered Hawk (Ruby) flying overhead 2.8.24


  • 6.22.25 Two fledglings seen. No parents seen.
  • 6.16.25 Two fledglings seen. Red seen.
  • 6.8.25 Three fledglings seen. No parents seen.
  • 5.31.25 Two of three chicks have fledged! The parents gave them some prey, including a rat.
  • 5.26.25 Photos and a video of parents chasing off a juvenile Cooper's Hawk then bringing food to the nest and feeding three nestlings.
  • 5.24.25 Photos and videos of parents tending to three chicks.
  • 5.3.25 Photos and videos of parents tending to three chicks.
  • 4.26.25 Images of removing a branch and adding a leafy one in the nest. Video of both parents with two chicks.
  • 4.20.25 The eggs hatched! Video of Ruby feeding chick(s).
  • 3.22.25 Ruby on nest. Red out on Air conditioner and in trees.
  • 3.20.25 Ruby on nest. Red bringing food to Ruby. Ruby eating. 
  • 3.17.25 Ruby on nest.
  • 3.1.25 One of the Red-shouldered Hawk parents seen.
  • 10.1.24 One of the Red-shouldered Hawk parents seen.
  • 6.28.24 Two of the three Red-shouldered Hawk fledglings sighted. One parent.
  • 6.15.24 One of the three Red-shouldered Hawk fledglings sighted. No parents.
  • 6.8.24 Two of three Red-shouldered Hawk fledglings sighted. No parents.
  • 5.27.24 One Red-shouldered hawk has fledged! Video and images.
  • 5.25.24 Nestlings practice flying in the nest. Video and images.
  • 5.19.24 Photos and video of chicks in nest. Ruby feeding a nestling.
  • 5.11.24 Photos and video of eyases (chicks) in the nest. First time we have seen them left alone! Ruby and Red flying over and perching near nest.
  • 5.5.24 Photos and video of the Red-shouldered Hawk chicks being fed! 
  • 5.4.24 The chicks are getting bigger.
  • 4.13.24 Ruby and Red switch sitting on the egg(s).
  • 3.28.24 Ruby and Red switch sitting on the egg(s).
  • 3.23.24 Red and Ruby switch sitting on the egg(s).
  • 3.17.24 Red and Ruby switch sitting on the egg(s).
  • 3.9.24 Ruby with nest materials. Red brings a snake and Ruby eats.
  • 3.3.24 Ruby in the trees. Red out hunting.
  • 2.11.24 Nest building/rebuilding and mating day.
  • 2.8.24 Both Ruby and Red circled above. Red flew out of the park to presumably hunt. Ruby posted in several trees. Two Monk Parakeets noisily flew overhead. We lost sight of Ruby.
  • 2.7.24 Both parents sighted at the beginning of our visit to the park. Red flew out of the park to find more prey. Ruby visibly larger and seems to continue staying in the park interior, possibly to conserve energy to begin nesting soon. Ruby seen socializing with crows: standing on the ground together, flying to post in trees together, sharing light posts. Crow leader (we named "Ace") seems to caw only at other crows who approach her. Ruby and Ace stay together for over 5 minutes. No hostile moves were made from either Ruby or Ace towards each other. We speculate both have raised multiple sets of offspring in this park. In other settings we have observed American Crows exhibiting hostile behavior (swooping and cawing in groups) towards Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawks, see for instance, 1.25.24 McCormick Nature Area, Chicago, IL
  • 2.3.24 Red-shouldered Hawk Ruby photographed flying from post to post in the center of the park. Red-shouldered Hawk Red flies in from upper tree canopy. Ruby photographed calling to Red. Both vocalize repeatedly as they leave the area flying to a side street, presumably to hunt. 
  • 2.1.24 Ima photographed the Red-shouldered Hawk mother Ruby eating wing of a bird of prey. We hypothesize Ruby and Red joined with a group of American Crows killed a Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk. Although we did not see this happen, All About Birds notes occasions where Red-shouldered hawks have killed Great Horned Owl young and worked with crows to drive Great Horned owls out of their shared territory. We hope to gather enough evidence to support our hypothesis.
  • 5.31.23 Sighting of 3 fledglings. We heard the parents call to Fledges and saw them feed them in the upper canopy of the trees. 
  • 5.21.23 Our first sighting of the Red-shoulder Hawk(s)


 



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