The 10-year migration count trends for the Gray Hawk suggest declining populations, with 67% of hawk count sites reporting a decline, and the remaining 33% reporting stable populations. This decline is a contrast between previously reported twenty-year count trends which suggested stable and increased fall counts (Gulf Region: 1 stable, 1 increase).

Contrastingly, the overall abundance for the Gray Hawk has increased by 19.8% annually from 2012-2022, as reported by eBird; the strongest increases are seen in Central America. These idiosyncratic declines and increases may suggest that the Gray Hawk is shifting its migratory habits or that migrating populations, which are likely the more northern nesting birds are declining. Further research is needed to understand these contrasting patterns. The Gray Hawk is a Species of Least Concern, designated by IUCN Red List, however, it is listed as a Species of Concern by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and by the state of Arizona. It is listed as Threatened in Texas. In Mexico it is listed as “Subject to Special Protection”. Shooting and trapping remains a threat in the non-United States portion of its range, as multiple banded individuals have been recovered after being shot. Habitat loss due to wood cutting and overgrazing is a primary concern and has altered its distribution in Texas and Arizona. Groundwater depletion has also resulted in withdrawal of the species from areas that were historically populated, and continued groundwater usage for development continues to threaten existing habitats.