🦅 Osprey vs Red-tailed hawk 🦅
The osprey and the red-tailed hawk are about the same size. The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the red-tailed hawk.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🦅 Osprey | 🦅 Red-tailed hawk |
|---|---|---|
| Size They are about the same size. | 22 to 23 in55 to 58 cm1 | 19 to 26 in48 to 65 cm2 |
| Top speed Neither has a checked number yet. | no checked number yet | no checked number yet |
| Weight The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the red-tailed hawk. | 2.6 to 4.4 lb1.2 to 2 kg1 | 1.8 to 2.7 lb800 g to 1.2 kg2 |
| Lives The osprey lives a bit longer than the red-tailed hawk. | 25 years25 years1 | 22 years22 years2 |
| Eats The osprey eats fish; the red-tailed hawk eats meat. | almost only fish | mostly small rodents, and sometimes rabbits, reptiles and other birds |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | shallow water with plenty of fish, in many parts of the world | open country with high perches, such as grassland, farm fields, parks and woodland edges, across North and Central America |
Which one? Osprey or red-tailed hawk
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the osprey or the red-tailed hawk yet, so there is no race.
We only race. Real animals mostly avoid each other. A race is the only fair contest: who reaches the tree first, by top speed. Our face-off books compare real numbers, and nobody gets hurt.
10 things to know about Osprey vs Red-tailed hawk
- The osprey: A fish-eating bird of prey that lives near water around the world.
- The red-tailed hawk: A common hawk that watches for small animals from high perches.
- They are the same kind of animal: both are birds.
- The osprey and the red-tailed hawk are about the same size: 1 against 2.
- The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the red-tailed hawk. That is 1 for the osprey and 2 for the red-tailed hawk.
- The osprey lives a bit longer than the red-tailed hawk. Usual lifespans: 1 for the osprey and 2 for the red-tailed hawk.
- The osprey eats almost only fish. The red-tailed hawk eats mostly small rodents, and sometimes rabbits, reptiles and other birds.
- The osprey lives in shallow water with plenty of fish, in many parts of the world. The red-tailed hawk lives in open country with high perches, such as grassland, farm fields, parks and woodland edges, across North and Central America. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
- The osprey: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 3
- The red-tailed hawk: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 4
Wow facts
🦅 Osprey
- An osprey eats almost only fish.
- It lives near water almost everywhere in the world.
- Its wings are wider than a grown-up is tall.
🦅 Red-tailed hawk
- A red-tailed hawk watches for food from a high perch.
- Most of its food is small rodents.
- It lives in parks and farm fields as well as grassland.
Questions kids ask about Osprey and Red-tailed hawk
Which is bigger, osprey or red-tailed hawk?
The osprey and the red-tailed hawk are about the same size: 1 against 2.
Which is heavier, osprey or red-tailed hawk?
The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the red-tailed hawk. That is 1 for the osprey and 2 for the red-tailed hawk.
Which lives longer, osprey or red-tailed hawk?
The osprey lives a bit longer than the red-tailed hawk. Usual lifespans: 1 for the osprey and 2 for the red-tailed hawk.
What do osprey and red-tailed hawk eat?
The osprey eats almost only fish. The red-tailed hawk eats mostly small rodents, and sometimes rabbits, reptiles and other birds.
Where do osprey and red-tailed hawk live?
The osprey lives in shallow water with plenty of fish, in many parts of the world. The red-tailed hawk lives in open country with high perches, such as grassland, farm fields, parks and woodland edges, across North and Central America. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
Who would win, osprey or red-tailed hawk?
We never show fights, because a fight is not a fair way to compare animals. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. What we can compare is how big, how heavy, how fast, how long they live and what they eat, as above.
📤 Share this pair
The link carries only the two animals’ names: peabody.kids/animals/compare/osprey-vs-red-tailed-hawk
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Pandion haliaetus (osprey), checked 10 November 2026.
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Buteo jamaicensis (red-tailed hawk), checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.