Look at the chart above to help you with hawk identification in flight. The shape of the wings can offer cues to which family your raptor is in. Accipiter wings have a rounded or pointy shape.

Eyes like a hawk When introducing adults — and kids — to bird observation, noticing the colors of birds, especially during the spring, can be a great place to start.

Still, a hawk with a red tail is a red-tailed hawk, and it's not necessary to look further-except to appreciate the majesty of the bird. Absent a clearly red tail, though, three are other marks.

Hawk identification can be tricky, after all. Here, he offers a few quick tips to help you learn the five hawk species that frequent East Tennessee. (The following ID tips focus on adult hawks.