Red-Tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
The Red-tailed Hawk ranges throughout North America to the central Alaska and
northern Canada, and as far south as the mountains of Panama.
Weight: 2-4 lbs
Length: 55cm
Wing Span: 140cm
Lifespan: 10-21 yrs.
Typical diet: small rodents, snakes
Related Species
Hawks are carnivores (meat eaters) that belong to the category of birds known as
raptors -- birds of prey. They have strong, hooked beaks; their feet have three
toes pointed forward and one turned back; and their claws, or talons, are long,
curved and very sharp. Prey is killed with the long talons and, if it is too
large to swallow whole, it is torn to bite-sized pieces with the hawk's beak.
Description
The Red-tail is the largest hawk, usually weighing between 2 and 4 pounds. As
with most raptors, the female is larger than the male and may have a wing span
of 140cm.
The
adult has a rufous-colored tail that may or may not have a black terminal bar.
Adults are dark brown on the back and the top of their wings. The underside of
the bird is usually light with a dark belly band, and a cinnamon wash on the
neck and chest. Young falcons resemble the adults except their tail is brown
with dark bars; the red- tail molts in during its second year.
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Curious Facts |
Vocalization
The Red-tailed Hawk has a 2- to 3 second scream that is most commonly heard
while soaring. They are loudest when defending their nest. When parents leave
the nest, the young utter a loud wailing "klee-uk," repeated several times -
this is a food cry.
Habitat
The Red-tailed Hawk is usually found in grasslands or marsh- shrub habitats, but
it can also be found in some deserts and forests, and at varying heights above
sea level.
Food & Hunting
The Red-tailed Hawk eats mostly small rodents, with rabbits, snakes and lizards
included. Where there are large numbers of pheasant, these become the food of
choice in spring and summer. Like all hawks, its talons are its main weapons.
The young hawks are covered with white down (soft feathers). They grow slowly
and eat a lot, which keeps both parents busy. They stay in the nest for up to 48
days. During the last 10 days they practice flapping their wings and balancing
in the wind on the edge of the nest, preparing for the days when they will
launch themselves into the air.
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