Red-tailed Hawk
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Common Name:
Red-tailed Hawk
Class: Aves
Order:
Falconiformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
Species:
Buteo
jamaicensis
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photo M. Noonan |
Taxonomy/Description
Red-tailed Hawks are part of the Falconiformes genus. This means
that they are a diurnal bird of prey. The scientific name “buteo”
comes from Latin and means “a type of hawk.” The word “jamaicensis”
refers to the place where the first specimen was collected.
Red-tailed Hawks are a medium sized bird of prey with and robust
body and wings. They display sexual dimorphism, with females being
25% larger than males. Average weight of Red-tailed Hawks is
690-2000g (1.5-4.4lbs). Also, they have a body length of 45-65cm
(18-26in) and wingspan of 110-145cm (43-57in). They vary in
appearance, with four light morphs and three dark morphs, with the
dark morphs being more common. Their most prominent feature is
their rufous, or red, tail, hence the name “red-tailed hawk.”
Habitat/Diet
Red-tailed Hawks can be found throughout the Americas and is one of
the most widely-spread hawks found in the western hemisphere. Their
preferred habitat is one of mixed forest and fields that are used
for their hunting grounds and provide perches for them to scan for
prey. They are tolerant to most habitats in Northern America and
have adapted well to human development.
Red-tailed Hawks live off of a varied diet and will eat what is most
available to them. This includes hunting small mammals, reptiles,
and other birds.
Behavior/Reproduction
Red-tailed hawks are generally non-aggressive birds, however, they
are sometimes attacked by crows, other hawks, and even songbirds. A
Red-tailed hawk will usually leave its nest when threatened by an
intruder. They typically hunt from a perch and can reach speeds of
up to 120mph.
Red-tailed Hawks are monogamous, though they will move on to another
mate if one dies. Courtship involves the male performing aerial
maneuvers for up to ten minutes. One to five eggs is laid in a nest
that is either in a tree or rock face 4 to 21m off of the ground.
The male spends less time incubating the eggs than the female, but
will bring food to her while she is brooding. Eggs incubate for 28
to 35 days and the fledgling period lasts for up to 10 weeks.
Where to
see them in WNY
Red-tailed Hawks can be found in a variety of places in Western New
York. Some of these include parks, towns, forests, agricultural
areas, and the forest and field areas that they prefer.
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