Interesting Facts About the Red-Tailed Hawk

The red-tailed hawk is a medium-sized bird of prey which is one of the most common hawk species in North America. Because of the bird's extensive range it has around 14 subspecies which are designated based on variations in color and home breeding range.

  1. Description

    • The red-tailed hawk grows to between 17 and 22 inches in height with a wingspan of 44 to 52 inches across and weighs between 24 and 45 ounces. It is a thick-bodied, powerful bird which, at a distance, might be mistaken for an eagle. Color can vary depending on subspecies, but the birds are generally rich brown on the back and head with a paler streaked under-belly. The top side of the bird's tail is a cinnamon red color, giving the hawk its name. The hawk's cry is distinctive and often used on soundtracks for movies when dubbing other hawks or eagles.

    Habitat and Range

    • The hawk is found throughout North America year-round, as well as in southern Canada and northern Central America. During the summer the bird ranges further north and in winter can be found further south, deeper into Central America. The bird is so widespread due to its adaptability, living in a number of habitat types. It is most common in open areas that have a few scattered tall trees or telephone poles to act as perches. It is not found in dense forests but is common in more sparsely wooded areas.

    Diet and Predators

    • The birds hunt from perches, searching the ground using acute eyesight to spot movement. When prey is spotted the bird sets off and drops down in a controlled descent onto the animal, pinning it with powerful talons. Over 80 percent of the red-tailed hawk's diet is small rodents, but large birds can carry off cottontail rabbits and larger reptiles as well as red-winged blackbirds. They catch the blackbirds while the adults are defending nests and the bird is at its most vulnerable. The bird's speed and agility mean few predators can kill an adult. Eggs and chicks are at risk from crows and great horned owls.

    Life Cycle

    • Red-tailed hawks pair off for life, breeding with the same partner each year, and they perform complex flying courtship displays. The displays involve circling, diving and soaring and end in a grasping of talons as the birds start to spiral toward the earth. They release their grasp with plenty of time before hitting the ground. Breeding happens in the spring with both parents caring for the young. The female lays one to five eggs in a nest high in a tree. Chicks hatch out after around a month and leave the nest after around 10 weeks. The hawks live almost 20 years in the wild.