Swainson's Hawk
Buteo swainsoni
This hawk was photographed and is copyrighted by Robert Shantz along State Road 92 south of Virden, New Mexico on April 27, 2003.
Swainson's Hawk is absent from the Sonoran Desert for most of the year. However, large numbers can pass through during spring and fall migrations. Hundreds in several groups were observed by bird watchers in the Sonoran Desert during August-September, 2007. These predators feed heavily on rodents, but also eat many insects, especially grasshoppers and katydids (mormon crickets). Argentina is the eventual wintering ground.