# Red-tailed Hawk (*Buteo jamaicensis*) The Red-tailed Hawk is a beautiful bird known for its reddish-brown tail. It soars high in the sky and can spot small animals from far away! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 653 - **Habitat:** Open fields, forests, and near mountains - **Also known as:** Buteo jamaicensis, Redtail Hawk ![Red-tailed Hawk](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426227/objects/4597.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-tailed Hawk is a large raptor with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Adults famously display a brick-red tail and often have a dark “patagial” bar along the leading edge of their underwing. Many also have a dark belly band. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Buteo ## Interesting facts - Wow! Female Red-tailed Hawks are usually much larger than the males! - Wow! Red-tailed Hawks can see colors in the ultraviolet spectrum, unlike humans! - Wow! Some Red-tailed Hawk nests can weigh over 100 pounds! - Wow! The famous “eagle scream” in movies is often actually a Red-tailed Hawk! ## Special abilities - **Eagle Eye Vision:** Red-tailed Hawks can spot tiny prey from incredible heights because of their exceptional eyesight, helping them hunt efficiently. - **Silent Soarer:** Red-tailed Hawks have broad wings that allow them to soar effortlessly on air currents, conserving energy while hunting. - **Crushing Grip:** Red-tailed Hawks have powerful talons that help them firmly grasp and carry prey, ensuring a successful catch. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 45-65 cm - **Wingspan:** 110-145 cm - **Weight:** 0.7-1.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 190 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-5 - **Incubation:** 28-35 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding These fierce hunters feast on small mammals like rodents and rabbits, along with birds and reptiles. - **Primary Foods:** Mice, Voles, Rabbits, Squirrels, Snakes, Small Birds - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Meadow Vole (*Microtus pennsylvanicus*) — A common and important food source for hawks. - **Hunts:** [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) — A frequent prey item, especially for larger hawks. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Owls sometimes prey on hawk eggs or nestlings. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low It's best to admire Red-tailed Hawks from a distance. They are wild animals and should not be approached. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-tailed Hawk? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Red-tailed Hawk? 45-65 cm ### What is Red-tailed Hawk's wingspan? 110-145 cm ### How much does Red-tailed Hawk weigh? 0.7-1.6 kg ### How long does Red-tailed Hawk live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Red-tailed Hawk move? 190 km/h ### What does Red-tailed Hawk eat? These fierce hunters feast on small mammals like rodents and rabbits, along with birds and reptiles. ### Where is Red-tailed Hawk usually found? Open fields, forests, and near mountains ## Where to spot - [Alder Creek Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alder-creek-grove) — California, US · Forest - [American Baptist College](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/american-baptist-college) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Arastradero Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arastradero-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Arnold Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arnold-arboretum) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Arroyo Conejo Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arroyo-conejo-open-space) — California, US · Park - [Bald Eagle State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bald-eagle-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest [View all places to see Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-tailed-hawk) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Red-tailed Hawk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk)