red-tailed hawk

E45659

The red-tailed hawk is a widespread North American bird of prey known for its reddish tail, piercing call, and adaptability to diverse habitats including open fields, deserts, and urban areas.

Aliases (2)

Statements (66)
Predicate Object
instanceOf bird
bird of prey
hawk
vertebrate
adaptation high tolerance of human-modified landscapes
averageMass approximately 700–1500 g
binomialName Buteo jamaicensis
bodyLength approximately 45–65 cm
class Aves
clutchSize 1–5 eggs
commonName red-tailed hawk
redtail
describedBy Johann Friedrich Gmelin
diet birds
rabbits
reptiles
rodents
small mammals
eggColor whitish with brown spots
family Accipitridae
flightStyle soaring with wings in slight dihedral
foragingStrategy soaring and hunting from perches
foundIn Canada
Mexico
Panama
United States
West Indies
genus Buteo
habitat agricultural areas
deserts
grasslands
open fields
suburban areas
urban areas
woodland edges
IUCNStatus Least Concern
kingdom Animalia
legalProtection protected under Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the United States
lifespanCaptive over 20 years possible
lifespanWild typically up to 10–15 years
migrationPattern partial migrant
monogamy often forms long-term pair bonds
nativeTo Caribbean
Central America
North America
nestLocation cliffs
man-made structures
trees
nestType stick nest
notableFeature broad wings
piercing call
reddish tail
order Accipitriformes
plumageVariation dark morphs
light morphs
rufous morphs
roleInEcosystem top small-mammal predator
sexualDimorphism females larger than males
tailColorAdult rich rufous above with pale underside
tailColorJuvenile brown banded tail
taxonRank species
usedIn falconry
vocalization raspy descending scream
vocalizationUsage often used in films to represent eagles
wingspan approximately 110–145 cm
yearDescribed 1788


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