Class: Aves Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae Genus: Buteo Species: jamaicensis
This is one of the most common hawks in North American and can generally be seen everywhere. They have a buteo shape which means they have broad, rounded wings; and a short tail with reddish brown feathers. They also have dark bars on the leading edge of the wing. Though they were known among North America’s Indigenous peoples, the first Red-tailed Hawks studied by Western scientists were identified in Jamaica in 1781 and named accordingly: Buteo jamaicensis. Juveniles don’t get red feathers until the start of their second year, instead they will have brown barred tails and a distinct belly band of dark streaking on their pale chests.
Females are generally 25% larger than males and is one of the largest birds in North America, but the largest female weighs only about three pounds. Their call is very distinct as a thrilling, raspy scream that sounds exactly like a raptor should sound. In fact, the bald eagle call you hear in movies is actually the sound a red-tailed hawks makes.
Red-tailed hawks prefer mixed forest and field habitats, with high bluffs or trees that may be used as perch sites. They occupy a wide range of habitats including deserts, grasslands, coastal regions, mountains, foothills, coniferous and deciduous woodlands, tropical rainforests, agricultural fields and urban areas.
Red-tailed hawks are known for their adaptability, so they can thrive in captivity and generally exhibit similar behaviors as they would in the wild.
In both the wild and captivity, their diet primarily consists of small mammals, but they can also consume other smaller birds, reptiles, and insects.
Help Feed Our Red-Tailed HawksThey are monogamous and often mate for life with both parents participating in nest building and caring for their young.
Their talons, which help them catch prey, can measure up to 1.33 inches long.
To keep their eyes clean, birds have a third eyelid called a nictitating membrane.
To be noticed by a potential mate, a male red-tailed hawk might catch prey and pass it to a female in midair or perform repeated dives.
