Denver’s Native Raptor Species – Hawks, Owls, and Falcons

Raptors Thriving in Denver’s Urban Skies

The Denver metro area supports a remarkably diverse population of raptors — birds of prey that occupy the top of the urban food chain and serve as critical indicators of ecosystem health. At least 15 raptor species regularly breed, winter, or migrate through the Denver region, ranging from the tiny American kestrel to the powerful golden eagle. For Denver residents, these birds are both a source of natural wonder and a living demonstration of how wildlife can successfully coexist with dense urban development.

Denver’s raptors play a direct and measurable role in controlling populations of the same wildlife species that cause residential conflicts. A single red-tailed hawk family consumes hundreds of ground squirrels, voles, and rabbits per breeding season. Great horned owls are highly effective predators of skunks — one of the few predators willing to tackle them. And the city’s peregrine falcons help regulate pigeon populations in downtown Denver, reducing the need for mechanical bird deterrent systems in areas where falcons actively hunt.

The Five Most Common Denver Raptors

Red-Tailed Hawk — Denver’s most abundant and visible raptor, the red-tailed hawk occupies virtually every neighborhood in the metro area. They nest in large cottonwood trees, on power line structures, and occasionally on building ledges. Their distinctive soaring silhouette and raspy, descending “keeeer” call are familiar to anyone who spends time outdoors in Denver. Red-tails are year-round residents and are especially conspicuous during winter when leafless trees expose their bulky stick nests.

Great Horned Owl — Denver’s largest and most powerful year-round owl, the great horned owl begins nesting in January and February — earlier than any other Denver raptor. They do not build their own nests, instead appropriating old red-tailed hawk, magpie, or squirrel nests. Their deep, resonant hooting is a common nighttime sound in Denver’s mature tree neighborhoods and is often the first sign that a breeding pair has established territory nearby.

Cooper’s Hawk — This medium-sized accipiter is Denver’s most common backyard raptor, specializing in hunting songbirds around bird feeders. Cooper’s hawks are agile forest hunters adapted to maneuvering through dense tree canopy at high speed — a skill set perfectly suited to Denver’s residential tree-lined streets. Homeowners frequently witness Cooper’s hawks ambushing sparrows, starlings, and doves in their yards.

American Kestrel — The smallest North American falcon, kestrels are colorful, cavity-nesting raptors that hunt grasshoppers, mice, and small birds from power lines, fences, and exposed perches throughout Denver. Kestrel populations have declined significantly in recent decades due to habitat loss and competition for nesting cavities with European starlings. Denver-area conservation groups have installed hundreds of kestrel nest boxes to support this declining species.

Peregrine Falcon — Denver’s most celebrated urban raptor, peregrine falcons nest on several downtown high-rise buildings, bridges, and industrial structures. Peregrines are the fastest animal on Earth, reaching speeds exceeding 200 mph in their characteristic hunting stoops. The Denver peregrine population was re-established after the species’ near-extinction from DDT poisoning in the mid-20th century and is now monitored by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and citizen science volunteers.

Protecting Denver’s Raptors — What Homeowners Can Do

Denver homeowners can actively support raptor conservation through simple habitat-friendly practices. Reducing or eliminating rodenticide use is the single most impactful action — second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides accumulate in the rodents that raptors eat, causing fatal internal bleeding in hawks and owls. Using snap traps or exclusion-based rodent control instead protects raptors and is consistent with the humane wildlife management approach that benefits all of Denver’s native species.

Preserving mature trees during property renovations, installing kestrel nest boxes, and reporting injured raptors to the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program or Colorado Parks and Wildlife are additional ways Denver residents can contribute to the long-term health of these essential predators. When coyotes, foxes, and raptors all thrive in Denver’s neighborhoods, it signals a healthy urban ecosystem that ultimately benefits human residents as well.