Its northern limit is the southwestern United States, including portions of Arizona, New Mexico, and Kansas and south-central Texas. The Harris's Hawk is found throughout much of the Americas.

This behavior also illustrates the species' sociable nature, an un-hawk-like trait that makes it easy to train for falconry and educational programs.

The hawk on top gets a better view for hunting, making up for the lack of elevated perches in the landscape. This lifestyle, unusual for raptors, has earned them the nickname "Wolves of the Sky." The species' range continues south from there into Mexico, through Central America, and … Harris's hawks are extremely social birds and typically live and hunt in social groups. Harris's hawks exhibit an unusual behavior called "stacking."

A single Harris's hawk will perch on a cactus, and 2 to 3 additional birds will stand atop his back. Back stacking is actually a sensible adaption to the Harris's Hawk's wide-open habitats.