Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Description:

Red-tailed Hawks range from light auburn to deep brown in color. Their underbelly is lighter than the rest of the body, with a dark band across it. The tail which gives this bird its name is brownish-red when seen fro above. The wing is broad with rounded tips. Underside of wing has a dark leading edge. The length of this bird is 20-25 inches with a 47-56 inch wingspan.

Voice:

A distinctive call. A loud, downward slurred scream; prolonged keeeeer.

Food:

Red-tailed Hawks feed on a wide variety of prey, using their powerful claws as weapons. Eighty to eighty-five percent of their diet consists of small to medium sized rodents.

Nest:

A large stick nest containing a neat cup which is lined with fine roots and green twigs. One to four eggs, whitish with faint marks.

Habitat:

Their habitat is variable from tundra to semi-desert.

Range:

They are found throughout the United States and Canada, and into Mexico and Central America.

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