Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
The adult red-tailed hawk is a broad-winged raptor of open fields, deserts, grasslands, roadsides, and woodland edges across much of North America. It hunts mostly from high perches or soaring flight, dropping onto mammals, birds, reptiles, and other small animals with powerful talons. Adults defend territories with circling flights and a famous descending scream often used in films to represent birds of prey. One notable fact is that despite the name, the red tail is most obvious in mature birds and can vary by region and color morph.
- Type
- Wing / Fang
- Conservation status
- LC