Meet the Red Tailed Hawk

The Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) are large birds of prey that are easily identifiable with their streaked belly bars. Their bodies are normally colored brown from a top down view, and pale from below. The red-tailed hawk lives in much of the United States and Mexico yearround, but specifically northern US and Canada for summer breeding. These hawks live in open areas like field and farmland, and can often be spotted perched on poles or tree branches. The red-tailed hawks hunt for small mammals like moles, squirrels, rabbits as well as other birds. The red-tailed hawk has an iconic scream that is makes while soaring. Its scream is often used in movies as a “bald eagle” sound. If you think of what bald eagles sound like in movies, it is actually the scream of the red-tailed hawk. These birds are one of the most common hawks, so it you are ever on a long car ride, you are likely to see at least one of these guys. To learn more about the red-tailed hawk, visit: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/overview#

This edition of Wildlife Wednesday created by Zander Hine, Student Board member