Ferruginous Hawk with wings up – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or set up
I love to say “Ferruginous”, I’m not sure exactly why but I think it is a fun word to pronounce, especially when I roll the “R’s”. Yes, it is probably a little odd to enjoy saying it so much but I don’t apologize for it! I love to say “Flammulated” too.
Ferruginous Hawks (Buteo regalis) are the largest hawks found in North America. The “regalis” in the Latin name means “kingly” or “regal” and I have to agree with those descriptions. The English name; “Ferruginous”, means “rusty” and that also describes some of this hawk’s coloring very well.
Ferruginous Hawk lift off from a weather monitoring station – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 355mm, natural light, not baited or set up
Ferruginous Hawks are found in western North America in terrains from grasslands to open deserts. I often see them perched on utility poles, old snags, on top of sagebrush bushes or where I often find this species in Tooele County, on top of a small weather reporting station. My bad timing allowed the weather station to still be obvious in the photo above but these large raptors do take off quick and I wanted a series of shots as it lifted off, this was the first frame of that series.
I haven’t had the best of luck getting quality photos of this species, it seems that quite often they take off facing away from me and I like having eye contact with my subject. Once I spotted one slowly flying in to where I stood but alas I didn’t have my camera in hand. I told a friend to grab his camera and he got some decent images whilst I got nothing but a great view of the Ferruginous flying low and slow over my head. I hope my luck changes. Or I’ll need to seriously consider spending a lot of time waiting where I know I see these raptors.
Flight shot of Ferruginous Hawk with wings down – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or set up
Yesterday I found this Ferruginous Hawk perched twice on the weather station so I was able to get two series of lift off shots and was quite pleased to have those opportunities. I like that the image above shows the “rusty” plumage on the wing, shoulder and back of this gorgeous hawk. I have not seen the dark morph of this species yet though I understand they are equally as stunning as the light morph.
Any time I see a Ferruginous (rolling my “R’s”) Hawk, they take my breath away
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Ferruginous Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.
Your welcome Mom,
I cant wait for the Howe Idaho report on Roughy numbers. Something is going on here with that species. Good arctic breeding season maybe.
Let us know the numbers on the Hoew Idaho report of the Roughie numbers!
Really nice group of photographs. I love your roughy, counted 20 in 6 miles today. The Ferruginous hawk photo are beautifully captured and executed.
Thanks
Hiya Rohn,
Thanks for asking the Roughies to come down this way, saw 14 today in just a couple of hours. Thanks also for your comment on my Ferruginous Hawk images son 🙂 Hope to see you soon.
Ferruginous is fun to say but not as fun as witnessing one of these most regal of hawks! I am so lucky, we have one that winters around the large ranches on the road I take to work every day. I always look forward to seeing “my” Ferruginous Hawk and have been expecting it to show up any day now. Every year I attempt to get better photos than the year before but I still have none as good as yours Mia.
I was intrigued to see a Ferruginous Hawk displaying kiting behavior over a pasture on a windy day last winter. Beautiful!
Larry, I’ve seen the kiting behavior with Ferruginous Hawks too, it is very interesting and beautiful. I saw two Ferruginous Hawks today but they were too far away for good images. Thanks for your very kind words.
Great photos. I just came across your blog. Found a link at the Nature Blog Network. Just when I get to thinking that my bird photos are pretty good, I discover someone like you that has more outstanding images. I am impressed with all of your work, that Little Blue Heron blew me away. I will bookmark your blog at watch for more.
Thank you so much for your very kind words Bob. I think as bird photographers we have extremely beautiful, interesting and enchanting subjects. I appreciate you stopping by!
Lovely images. Thanks for sharing them!
Thank you Scott!
Wonderful post – love the shots – can’t wait to say Ferruginous myself when i see one someday 🙂
dan
thanks Dan, Ferruginous is fun to say especially if you roll the “r’s”. Hope you get to see one.
Gotta love saying Pyrrhuloxia too. Prothonotary also comes out with a satisfying effect (unfortunately, I’ve never seen either bird). These images are still very nice Mia, don’t beat yourself up too badly.
I imagine its also nice to say, Ptarmigan, but I’ve never had the opportunity.
Laurence, I like saying Prothonotary too. I have seen them, they are stunning birds, no photos though! Thanks for stopping by.
I also like to say Phainopepla! There are many other bird names that make me giggle to say, but for purely puerilistic reasons.