BirdAnalyst
Species · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Broad-winged Hawk

AccipitridaeBirds of preyButeo platypterus

Broad-winged Hawk has held roughly steady: up 9% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

+9%Since 1968TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
1,448RoutesSurvey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
58Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →

About the Broad-winged Hawk

The Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) is a North American member of the Hawks, Eagles & Kites (Accipitridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the birds of prey.

Size
17.5–39.5 in long (45–100 cm) — a medium to large raptor (typical for the family)
Habitat
Open country, woodlands, cliffs and wetlands, hunting from the air or a high perch.
Diet
Live prey — small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and large insects (carrion for vultures).
Range
Recorded on 1,448 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 37 states, most concentrated in the Appalachian Mountains.
Family
Accipitridae · Birds of prey

Notable Broad-winged Hawk TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →

No notable trend signals for Broad-winged Hawk. See the full index history below.

Broad-winged Hawk Population Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Broad-winged Hawk is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.09 (95% range 0.06–0.12). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±15.3%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

-5%Change by 2029TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
0.09Projected 2029 indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →
0.06–0.1295% range95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
±15.3%Backtest errorBacktest errorTypical error when we hold out the most recent years, forecast them, and compare to what actually happened. Lower means a more trustworthy projection.Full methodology →
If the recent trend holds, Broad-winged Hawk is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.09 (95% range 0.06–0.12). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±15.3%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.19662029
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →95% low95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →95% high95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
20250.090.060.12
20260.090.060.12
20270.090.060.12
20280.090.060.12
20290.090.060.12

Where the Broad-winged Hawk Is Detected

BBS routes recording Broad-winged Hawk, sized by most recent count.

Broad-winged Hawk Population Trend by State

Broad-winged Hawk population trend by state.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Alabama+1%196898
Arkansas+12%197038
Connecticut+19%197220
Delawareinsufficient datan/a4
Florida+125%197032
Georgia-42%197068
Illinois-29%197413
Indiana-72%196916
Iowainsufficient datan/a2
Kansasinsufficient datan/a2
Kentucky+19%197045
Louisiana+374%197060
Maine+134%197171
Maryland+75%196948
Massachusetts+99%197028
Michigan+62%197065
Minnesota+78%196946
Mississippi-60%197142
Missouri+262%197447
New Hampshire+106%196826
New Jersey-69%196829
New York+136%196892
North Carolina-13%196966
North Dakotainsufficient datan/a2
Ohio+201%197932
Oklahoma+69%196928
Pennsylvania+52%1968110
Rhode Island-22%19715
South Carolina-63%197624
South Dakotainsufficient datan/a2
Tennessee+61%196847
Texas+23%197429
Vermont+216%196825
Virginia-23%196864
West Virginia-60%196857
Wisconsin+90%196862
Wyominginsufficient datan/a3

Broad-winged Hawk Population Trend by Region

Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.

Broad-winged Hawk population trend by Bird Conservation Region.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Prairie Potholes+25%19924
Boreal Hardwood Transition+73%1968115
Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain+45%197045
Atlantic Northern Forest+250%1968147
Badlands and Prairies+34%20015
Oaks and Prairies+30%196919
Eastern Tallgrass Prairie+73%197624
Prairie Hardwood Transition+47%197060
Central Hardwoods+22%1968120
West Gulf Coastal Plain / Ouachitas+154%196988
Mississippi Alluvial Valley+16%197124
Southeastern Coastal Plain+78%1968215
Appalachian Mountains+33%1968352
Piedmont-44%1968117
New England / Mid-Atlantic Coast+50%196899
Gulf Coastal Prairie+68%19968

Broad-winged Hawk Conservation Status

Our route-weighted index shows it up about 8% since 1968.

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.