The Red Tailed Hawk
Jan 3rd, 2008 by Josey
The Red Tailed Hawk (Buteo Jamaicesis)
The red tailed hawk, with a Stout body and broad wings, is one of the most widespread birds of prey in North America. These birds occupy a broad range of habitats from central Alaska to southern Panama.
Red-tailed Hawks, which are meat eaters, belong to the category of birds known as raptors, or birds of prey. They have strong, hooked beaks and their talons are long, curved and sharp. They are aggressive birds that vigorously defend their territory.
Red-tailed Hawks prefer open country, where the hunting is best for them. They have a streamlined body, long , pointed wings and long tails. It is the largest of the hawk family, usually weighing between two and four pounds. As with most raptors, the female is nearly one third larger than the male, with a wing span of up to 56 inches. Adults are dark brown one the back and tops of there heads, and their undersides are usually light with a dark band on the belly and an umber color on the neck and chest. In flight, the rounded tail shows a rich red color, which is where the Red-tailed Hawks gets its name. Their eyesight is eight times as strong as that of a human. The red tailed hawk ’s nest are located high, about 35 to 75 feet, in the forks of large trees and on rock ledges used for perching. This bird does not fly fast, but soars at high altitudes using its keen eyesight to spot prey. When it diving, it can reach speeds of 120 mph. There is strong evidence that hawks mate for life, so nesting sites may be used from year to year. The Red-tailed Hawk will generally take a new mate only when its original mates dies.
The Red Tailed Hawk is a popular bird in the sport of falconry, using raptors as hunting aids, especially in America. It is an easy bird to keep and use in the field. A Red-tailed Hawk will follow the hunter and dog, knowing their activities produce opportunities to catch game. Once the falcon batches the game, the hunter locates the bird and trades its kill for a piece of fresh meat. The birds are usually returned back to the wild once they have reached breeding age, which is about three years of age. The feathers and other parts of the Red-tailed Hawk are used by many native Americans for religious ceremonies because their feathers are considered sacred. Like the Golden Eagle, possession of the Red Tailed Hawk s feathers are governed by federal law in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The Red-tailed Hawk is carnivorous, or a meat eater. Its diet is mainly composed of small mammals, but also includes small birds and reptiles. Because juvenile hawks are inexperienced hunters, they have been seen eating road kill and even been know to kill chickens. This has caused the bird to be incorrectly referred to as the “Chicken Hawk”.
For this reason, people that are unaware of federal protection laws still kill the birds in abundance, believing them to be a threat to their domestic fowl. The Red-tailed Hawk has a shrill scream that can be heard while the bird is soaring. This cry is loudest when they are defending their nest. They also voice it during territorial disputes, and in response to human intrusion.
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by: Josey Layne