Harris' Hawk Locations

Parabuteo unicinctus

One of Southeastern Arizona's specialties, Harris' Hawks are also very rewarding to find, because they usually stay in large family groups [we have seen from 2-7 together] and frequent a rather local area consistently.  The most reliable Harris' Hawk clan we have found is at the Sweetwater Wetlands, in west Tucson.  Five of these magnificent birds can be found in a few short minutes.  To get there, travel to Frontage and Ruthrauff, just west of I-10.  Drive South on Frontage to westbound Sweetwater Dr.  About 1/2 mile down the road, on the North, at the Waste Water Treatment facility, there are Cottonwood snags lining the road.  The nest is in the first live tree, and 1-3 Harris' Hawks typically roost in the snags all day long.  The small spur road there, heading north, passes a fenced area on the right, which contains usually 1-2 of the hawks perched near the ground or in a bushy mesquite tree.  Also, across the spur road from the fenced area is a lone Cottonwood which is a regular roosting spot for the young birds.  The birds, if not in these locations, are almost certainly in the dense coverage of the Roger Road Pond [enter the WWTP gate, and sign in at the front desk] or perched together along the trees lining the actual Wetlands, on the south side of Sweetwater.  Listen for the youngest hawks, who have a high, clear whistle and are very noisy- they sound a lot like Gray Hawks.  The adults make much less noise, and it is a lower, gravely, but still distinctly Raptor-y cry.

Other than this, we have seen a pair of Harris' Hawks near 4th avenue and 1st street, on Campbell and Ft. Lowell, in Sulfur Springs Valley, etc.  A clan of 7 lived near our home on the west side of Tucson from 2000-2001, but has since entirely disappeared.

Website and all images copyright 1999-2004 Peter and Amanda Lewis