In this article I’ll be going over 11 unique birds of prey that can be found all across the state of Tennessee so, continue reading for a more thorough breakdown of these birds.

• Bald Eagle 
• Osprey
• Turkey Vulture 
• Eastern Screech Owl 
• Cooper’s Hawk 
• Red Shouldered Hawk 
• American Kestrel 
• Peregrine Falcon 
• Great Horned Owl 
• Black Vulture 
• Red Tailed Hawk 

11 Birds Of Prey In Tennessee

1. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus)

• Size: 90 – 108cm
• Weight: 3 – 6.3kg
• Wingspan: 180 – 250cm

Bald eagles are fall and winter non-breeding residents within all of Tennessee other than the eastern region of the state.

A bald eagle’s plumage consists of dark brown around its wing and body, with white feathers on its tail and head along with the trademark yellow beak and feet. Both male and female bald eagles look relatively the same.

As for where you can find these eagles, it will often be around lakes and reservoirs with lots of fish and surrounding forests. You’ll often find them around unfrozen lakes and hunting along coastlines, reservoirs, and rivers during the winter months

These eagles are birds of prey meaning they hunt other birds, medium sized mammals like rabbits, hares, other animals like reptiles, fish and even eat carrion when their options are limited. Sometimes bald eagles are recognised as fish eagles as their diet consists of fish and as meat is the only thing they eat these eagles would ultimately be regarded as carnivores too.

Bald eagles can live for around 20 years in the wild.

2. Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus)

• Size: 50 – 65cm
• Weight: 1 – 1.5kg
• Wingspan: 170 – 185cm

Ospreys tend to use all of Tennessee as a state to migrate through, towards regions that are better for breeding or wintering in. 

Ospreys are recognised by their brown wings and back, white neck and belly with hints of brown around the neck, with a black beak and yellow eyes. The male and females are very similar in appearance although the females are roughly 20% larger.

Ospreys can be found around large watercourses such as rivers, lakes or coastal areas. 

As for what they eat, it includes mostly fish from medium-sized fish such as salmon, trout, flounder and mullet, along with the odd smaller ones too.

These big birds have been observed to live for around 15 – 20 years on average with the longest recorded age being 32 years.

3. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes Aura)

• Size: 62 – 81cm
• Weight: 1.5 – 2 kg
• Wingspan: 1.6 – 1.8m

You’ll be able to find turkey vultures all throughout Tennessee year round. 

Turkey vultures have a plumage that is mostly brownish/black in color with silver/gray lining on the underside of their wings adding a contrast to their overall appearance. The face is pink/red with elements of black on the head topped of with a pale white beak.

These scavengers are mono-morphic so they do look the same with the only differentiating aspect being their sexual organs.

Turkey vultures are scattered throughout north America where they can be found staying within open and forested habitats where they will also stay within lower elevation mountain ranges.

Carrion is a turkey vultures primary food source but, they do also eat dead reptiles, birds, amphibians and invertebrates. As a whole these vultures do prefer fresher carrion but, like other vultures they can consume the same carcass over several days.

Turkey vultures are known to live for around 16 years in the wild and up to 30 years in captivity.

4. Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops Asio)

• Size: 16 – 25cm
• Weight: 121 – 244 grams
• Wingspan: 49 – 61cm

You’ll spot eastern screech owls all across Tennessee on a year round basis. 

Eastern screech owls are recognised by their mostly gray plumage. Females are generally larger and have a feathers that are brown in color.

These owls can be found around open mixed woodlands, deciduous forests, parklands, wooded suburban areas, riparian woods along streams and wetlands.

Eastern screech owls eat a variety of foods from small animals, including birds and mammals as well as earthworms, insects, crayfish, tadpoles, frogs, and lizards.

As for how long these owls are known to live for, it’s typically around the 14 year mark in the wild.

5. Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter Cooperii)

• Size: 35 – 51cm
• Weight: 400 – 700 grams
• Wingspan: 73 – 94cm

You’ll find cooper’s hawks all throughout Tennessee year round.

Cooper’s hawks are recognised by their gray back and upper head with a orange and white patterned breast, legs and underside of the wing. The females and males look very much the same but, the females are around 30% larger than the opposite gender.

You’ll often find a cooper’s hawk around pines, oaks, Douglas-firs, beeches, spruces, and other tree species, often on flat ground rather than hillsides, and in dense woods.

As for what they eat, it includes mainly medium-sized birds including robins, jays, flickers, among other smaller and even larger birds. Small mammals like chipmunks, tree squirrels, ground squirrels, mice, bats, etc. are included in their diet too.

Cooper’s hawks tend to live for around 10 – 12 years on average whilst the oldest recorded hawk surpassed the 20 year mark.

6. Red Shouldered Hawk (Buteo Lineatus)

• Size: 38 – 48cm
• Weight:  540 – 720 grams
• Wingspan: 94 – 107cm

These red shouldered hawks are year round residents all across the state of Tennessee.

Red shouldered hawks are recognised by their orange colored breasts, face and neck, red colored shoulders, their patterned dark brown white wings and tail feathers. Both males and females look the same but, the females are the larger of the 2 by around 25 – 30%

These hawks can be spotted around mixed deciduous coniferous forests with open understories. They particularly prefer wet forests, especially bottomlands near streams, rivers, swamps, and marshes. 

Red shouldered hawks are birds of prey and in turn will often consume amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and crayfish.

The average red shouldered hawk would live around 15 – 19 years whilst captive ones have been known to live for around 26 years.

7. American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius)

• Size: 20 – 24cm
• Weight: 115 – 125 grams
• Wingspan: 50 – 60cm

You’ll be able to find American kestrels all across Tennessee on a year round basis as it’s a permanent residence of theirs.

American kestrels are recognised by their spotted orange, gray, black and white plumage with their back orange with a black horizontal pattern, their wings a gray color, black tail feathers and orange sides with a gray and white head that has 2 black lines drawn vertically near both eyes. Females are mostly light brown.

American kestrels can be found in a variety of open or semi-open habitats from forest clearings, farmland and deserts. 

As for what they eat, it includes small mammals such as woodmice and shrews, small birds, insects, earthworms with voles being their go to food source.

Wild American kestrels are known to live for around 5 years but, captive variants have been known to hit 17+ years.

8. Peregrine Falcon (Falco Peregrinus)

• Size: 38 – 48cm
• Weight: 600 – 1300 grams
• Wingspan: 95 – 110cm

You’ll find peregrine falcons making their migratory journey through the state of Tennessee. 

Peregrine falcons are recognised by their black head, back and wings, yellow and black beak, yellow feet and a patterned back and white plumage on the belly. Females are once again the bigger of the two with males roughly 33% smaller.

Peregrines live in a variety of unique terrains such as deserts, seashore, mangroves, wetlands, tundra, grasslands, dry forests, scrubland, and craggy mountains. 

As for what peregrine falcons eat, it is mostly other smaller birds like pigeons, ducks, shorebirds, other smaller mammals and in the rare occasion carrion.

Peregrine falcons are known to live around 5 – 6 years in the wild and upto 16 years in captivity.

9. Great Horned Owl (Bubo Vrginianus)

• Size: 57 – 63cm
• Weight: 1.4 – 1.5kg
• Wingspan: 1.35 – 1.5m

Great horned owls can be found all across Tennessee from spring till winter.

These large horned owls are recognised by their brown/gray plumage with their defining feature being the tuft of feather on the top of their head resembling a horn or ear like feature. Male and female great horned owls look relatively the same with the females slightly larger in size.

At night these birds will perch on a branch or a tall building to look around for prey and once the desired prey has been found they will fly towards it with folded wings, grab the prey with their talons piercing through their body and in most cases killing  them immediately.

As for what these birds eat it includes smaller prey like rodents, frogs or scorpions. Even other larger predators like geese, ducks, hawks, and smaller owls can be eaten by these carnivorous birds.

Great horned owls are most commonly found in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities and they can also be found in semi-open habitats between the Arctic and the tropics.

As for a great horned owls lifespan, it can be anywhere from 15 -25 years.

10. Black Vulture (Coragyps Atratus)

• Size: 56 – 74cm
• Weight: 1.2 – 1.9kg
• Wingspan: 1.3 – 1.7m

You can find black vultures all across Tennessee on a year round basis. 

Black vultures are recognised by their almost entirely black body with elements of gray on their head and feet. The male and female vulture are not sexually dimorphic so its isn’t easy to tell them apart.

You can find black vultures living year round in forested and open areas, where most tend to spend their time in lower elevations.

Vultures are scavengers by nature and it’s no different here where their primary food source is carrion. They prefer feeding on fresh carcasses but, they are able to consume the same carcass over several days. On occasion black vultures will hunt live prey although live prey, whether mammals or birds, are weakened or sick making it an easier catch for them.

In regards to lifespan, wild black vultures tend to live for around 10 years whilst captive one are capable of living for 30 years.

11. Red Tailed Hawk (Buteo Jamaicensis)

• Size: 45 – 60cm
• Weight: 1.25 – 1.47kg
• Wingspan: 100 – 150cm

As Tennessee is a permanent residence for red tailed hawks, you’ll be able to find them there year round.

These hawks are recognised by their brown torso and wings, white breast and red tails. The main difference between the male and females is that the females are a third larger than the males.

These red tailed avians spend their time at a variety of places within the state including deserts, grasslands, forests, agricultural fields and urban areas.

Red tailed hawks are carnivorous birds of prey where they feed on small mammals, rodents, other smaller birds, fish and even carrion.

In the wild red tailed hawks are known to live between 15 – 20 years whilst captive red tails can live on the upper end of that spectrum around 20 years.