The most common and widespread hawk in North America, the Red-tailed Hawk is a bird of open country. It is frequently seen sitting on utility poles where it watches for rodents in the grass along the roadside.

Interesting Information

• The "Harlan's Hawk" was once considered a separate species. It breeds in Alaska and northwestern Canada, and winters on the southern Great Plains. This very dark form has a marbled white, brown, and gray tail instead of a red one. Many individuals intermediate between Harlan's and more typical Red-tailed Hawks can be found.

• The raspy cry of the Red-tailed Hawk is used in movies to represent any eagle or hawk anywhere in the world.

• In the courtship display a pair of Red-tailed Hawks soars in wide circles at a great height. The male dives down in a steep drop, then shoots up again at nearly as steep an angle. He repeats this maneuver several times, then approaches the female from above. He extends his legs and touches or grasps her briefly. The pair may grab onto one other and may interlock their talons and spiral toward the ground.

Description