COMMON NAME: Red-tailed Hawk
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Buteo jamaicensis
IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS:
A large hawk, usually weighing between two and four pounds, this species
shows a great deal of individual variation in plumage. The adult has a
rufous-colored
tail that may or may not have a black terminal bar. The exception to this
is the Harlan's sub-species, which has a white tail mottled with black.
Adults
are dark brown on the back and the top of their wings. The underside of the
bird is usually light with a dark bellyband, and a cinnamon wash on the neck
and chest. However, there are both light-colored and dark-colored races that
confound this. The Krider's hawk is a light-colored prairie dwelling sub-species
that can be mostly white, with no markings on the white chest and belly,
and a very light-colored head. Melanistic (dark) birds have very little
light coloring
and appear totally dark brown. In all of the color phases, the undersides
of the primaries are light-colored. Immatures resemble the adults, except
that
their tails are brown with dark bars; the red tail molts in during its second
year.
RANGE:
The red-tailed hawk's breeding range extends from central Alaska through
Canada and across the entire United States, south through Mexico and into
Central
America. In winter, many of the northern birds move south, however, red-tailed
hawks are commonly seen as far north as Minnesota each winter.
HABITAT:
In Minnesota, the red-tailed hawk is found around open fields, especially
near woodlots close to farms and cities. Not a bird of the deep woods,
it is usually
found in grasslands or marsh-shrub habitats.
NESTING:
Red-tailed hawks typically do not begin breeding until their third year.
Pairs build a large stick nest near the top of a tree (usually deciduous)
at the
edge of open canopy woods. In central Minnesota, farm and suburban woodlots
are often are home to a pair of nesting red-tails. Two to four eggs are usually
laid in April or May, hatching in about 30 days. The young remain in the
vicinity of the nest until they can fly, then follow their parents as they
learn to
forage for themselves.
FEEDING HABITS:
Red-tailed hawks feed on a wide variety of prey. Mammals commonly make up
a large part of their diet, and include everything from small mice to rabbits
and hares. They will also take medium-sized birds and reptiles such as lizards
and snakes.
RAPTOR CENTER DATA:
The most common hawk received by the clinic, the red-tailed hawk is often
the victim of vehicular collisions, shooting, and an occasional steel-jaw
trap.
A succession of red- tail hawks have served as education birds since the
first days of the program.
CONSERVATION STATUS:
A common hawk across its range, the red- tailed hawk has made a spectacular
comeback since the days of hawk bounties. One of the most well known and
commonly seen hawks in the Upper Midwest, it is a popular bird among falconers
and nature
centers.
Other Web Resources:
Raptor Center Education Birds
- Meet Alley, Bailey, Casper, and Jamaica, education birds at The Raptor Center
- See a picture of Alley
- See a picture of Casper
- See a picture of Jamaica
- Hear what Jamaica sounds like during her nesting season
Red-tailed Hawk Range
Minnesota Ornithologists' Union bird range map
Additional Information (not specifically about hawks):
Publications
