Zone-tailed Hawk is a large raptor of riparian areas, mountains, and arid hills of the Southwest Canyonlands. They nest in large trees along creeks, in cactus in open deserts, and sometimes on canyon walls. They are skilled aerialists, spending hours on end on the wing searching for prey.

Adult (Northern) Turkey Vultures have smaller heads than Zone-tailed Hawks. Turkey Vultures lack the dark bands in the tail and the dark trailing edge to the wing that Zone-tailed Hawks have. From a distance note that Vultures often soar with the tail closed whereas Zone-taileds fan their tail.

Sharp-shinned hawks and Cooper's hawks are much more commonly seen, and these two are very similar (though a few key differences exist). Buteos: broad-winged, more robust species that hunt by pouncing from a perch or by diving from flight, and eat whatever they can catch.

Zone-tailed Hawks look very similar in flight to Turkey Vultures, and the two species often soar and even sometimes roost together. It has been suggested that the hawk is a mimic of the vulture and uses its similarity to sneak up on prey that would not hide from vultures.