| Red-shouldered Hawk | Red-tailed Hawk | ||
| Adult | |||
| wide dark and narrow white bands  | rufous colored | ||
reddish, barred breast | belly band (missing in some races )  | ||
| red on shoulder white panel in primaries  | no red on shoulder | ||
| black and white bars on underside of wings  | Patagial mark on underside of wings  | ||
| Juvenile | |||
| fewer bands black bands are wider than light colored bands  | numerous narrow bands black bands are all same width black bands are narrower than lighter bands  | ||
yellow cere | pale greenish or bluish-green cere  | ||
reddish panel in primaries | no reddish panel in primaries  | ||
| brown streaks or spots on chest  | belly band | | |
| black and white bars on underside of wings  | patagial mark | | |
| Fledgling | |||
fewer bands | numerous narrow bands black bands are narrower than lighter bands  | ||
yellow cere | pale greenish or bluish-green cere  | ||
reddish panel in primaries | no reddish panel in primaries  | ||
| brown streaks or spots on front  | belly band | ||
no patagial mark | patagial mark | ||
| Nestling | |||
 |  | ||
yellow cere | pale greenish or bluish-green cere  |
| Go to red-shouldered hawk |
| Go to red-tailed hawk |