Bird

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

A summer resident that nests in West Virginia. Found in all 55 counties, across 10 habitats.

Here: Summer
Nesting: Nests here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 10

Male Broad-winged Hawk, whole bird — **Male**. (c) Ben Machado, some rights reserved (CC BY). CC BY. iNaturalist photo 121482221. iNaturalist large derivative; no local crop or retouch.

At a glance

Group: Birds
Here: Summer
Nesting: Nests here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 10
Habitat models: Summer, Winter

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in West Virginia 10

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 10

SummerCentral Interior and Appalachian Swamp SystemsWilliam McIlvaine, The Chickahominy Swamp (1862): wind-tossed swamp trees standing in dark water under a storm. Shown: Chickahominy Swamp, Virginia, a neighboring state.The Chickahominy Swamp LCCN2004661405, William McIlvaine (1813-1867), 1862. Public domain. Source record.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

SummerCentral Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier; Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems; Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

SummerCentral Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; Cumberland Riverscour; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian

SummerOnly within 250 m of water.Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic ForestHarvey Joiner, Woods Scene: tall beeches in a moist Kentucky woodland, light falling through a closed canopy onto a damp forest floor. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Shown: Kentucky beech woods (Harvey Joiner, Louisville painter of Kentucky beech forests; the painting does not name the site), a neighboring state.Woods Scene, Harvey Joiner, c. 1880-1920. Public domain. Source record.

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

SummerOnly within 250 m of water.Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood; Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest; Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland

Hemlock forests

Shady, evergreen forests of eastern or Carolina hemlock, often along rocky mountain streams and in gorges.

SummerOnly within 250 m of water.Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest

Moderately dry forests

Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.

SummerOnly within 250 m of water.Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest

Rich cove forests

Sheltered, moist mountain hollows and lower slopes with deep, fertile soil.

SummerOnly within 250 m of water.Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

WinterOnly within 250 m of water.Developed, Open Space; Cultivated Cropland; Pasture/Hay; Utility Swath - Herbaceous

Tree plantations and managed pine

Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.

SummerWinterOnly within 250 m of water.Deciduous Plantation; Managed Tree Plantation

Other habitats in its models (64)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in West Virginia. Those recorded in West Virginia first, the rest by region.

Elsewhere in the South (40)

Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.
Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 250 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.
Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Summer.
Mississippi River Riparian Forest Summer.
Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.
Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Summer, only within 250 m of water.
Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.
Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.
Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Summer.
Red River Large Floodplain Forest Summer.
South Florida Cypress Dome Winter.
South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Winter.
South Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh Winter.
South Florida Mangrove Swamp Winter.
South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Winter.
Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Winter, only within 250 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Summer.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods Summer.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Summer.

Northeast (2)

Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Summer.
Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.

Midwest (4)

North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.
North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 250 m of water.
North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 250 m of water.
North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer, only within 250 m of water.

Land cover and other classes (18)

Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer, only within 250 m of water.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer.
Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 250 m of water.
Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 250 m of water.
Recently Burned Grassland Winter, only within 250 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer, only within 250 m of water.