Red-tailed Hawk Images, Facts and Information:
Buteo jamaicensis
- Red-tailed Hawks can be found in every state in the U.S. except Hawaii and throughout most of Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
- They are hawks of open country, fields, deserts, mixed woodlands, grasslands, roadsides, pastures, range and agricultural areas and will perch and nest on man-made as well as natural objects.
- Northern Red-tailed Hawks including the Harlan’s subspecies are migratory while other Red-tailed Hawks are year round residents. Hawks that breed high in mountain ranges often descend to lower elevations over the winter.
- Red-tailed hawks are monogamous and may mate for life.
- Mated pairs will also hunt together.
- They lay 1 to 5 eggs which hatch in about 30 days. Both sexes incubate the eggs.
- Courting Red-tailed Hawks put on an aerial display that both sexes participate in.
- Red-tailed Hawks are known to have extremely variable plumage, some of that variability is due to geographical regions the Red-tailed Hawks are found in and some variation is because there are light, intermediate, and dark morphs including Harlan’s Hawks which are darker overall.
- Their diet includes small mammals including rabbits, jackrabbits, hares, mice, voles, ground squirrels, and rats. They will also consume upland game birds, passerines, lizards, snakes and carrion.
- A group of hawks can be called a “tower”, “knot”, “spiraling”, “stream” or “kettle” of hawks.
- Red-tailed Hawks used to be called Chicken Hawks.
- Red-tailed Hawks can live beyond 21 years
I hope that you enjoy viewing my Red-tailed Hawk photos.
Red-tailed Hawk fledgling calling from a rock surrounded by sage
Title: Red-tailed Hawk fledgling calling from a rock surrounded by sage
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 7/12/2020
Two young Red-tailed Hawks in sage
Title: Two young Red-tailed Hawks in sage
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 7/12/2020
Red-tailed Hawk male in flight over its nest
Title: Red-tailed Hawk male in flight over its nest
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/27/2020
Male Red-tailed Hawk lifting off from its nest on a cliff
Title: Male Red-tailed Hawk lifting off from its nest on a cliff
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/27/2020
Red-tailed Hawk female flying away from a cliff
Title: Red-tailed Hawk female flying away from a cliff
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/27/2020
Female Red-tailed Hawk leaping off of a cliff face
Title: Female Red-tailed Hawk leaping off of a cliff face
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/27/2020
Female Red-tailed Hawk rousing after mating
Title: Female Red-tailed Hawk rousing after mating
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/27/2020
Female and male Red-tailed Hawk on a lichen covered cliff face
Title: Female and male Red-tailed Hawk on a lichen covered cliff face
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/27/2020
Defecating Red-tailed Hawk
Title: Defecating Red-tailed Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/21/2020
Rousing Red-tailed Hawk on a wooden post
Title: Rousing Red-tailed Hawk on a wooden post
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/21/2020
Defecating adult Red-tailed Hawk
Title: Defecating adult Red-tailed Hawk
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/21/2020
Mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks perched close to each other
Title: Mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks perched close to each other
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 3/21/2020
Adult Red-tailed Hawk perched on old, rusty farm machinery
Title: Adult Red-tailed Hawk perched on old, rusty farm machinery
Location: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 1/19/2020
Adult Red-tailed Hawk on the wing over Bear River MBR
Title: Adult Red-tailed Hawk on the wing over Bear River MBR
Location: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 1/6/2020
Immature Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk with pronounced polka dot spots
Title: Immature Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk with pronounced polka dot spots
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 11/18/2019
Immature Red-tailed Hawk in front of a field of grass
Title: Immature Red-tailed Hawk in front of a field of grass
Location: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 11/9/2019
Immature Red-tailed Hawk in early autumn
Title: Immature Red-tailed Hawk in early autumn
Location: Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah
Date: 9/30/2019
Wet and alert immature Red-tailed Hawk
Title: Wet and alert immature Red-tailed Hawk
Location: Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah
Date: 9/12/2019
Damp adult Red-tailed Hawk fly over
Title: Damp adult Red-tailed Hawk fly over
Location: Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah
Date: 9/12/2019
Immature Red-tailed Hawk after eating its prey
Title: Immature Red-tailed Hawk after eating its prey
Location: Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah
Date: 9/12/2019