Variable Hawks occupy open habitats at all elevations. The Red-backed race inhabits the widest range of areas of the Variable Hawk races, including above tree line in mountains, Pacific coastal foothills, Patagonian steppes, agricultural areas and edges of river galleries, beech woods and humid premontane and lowland forests. Though often the most likely race to be found in lowlands, even the Red-backed is less than common below an elevation of 500 m (up to 3,000 m).