# Rough-legged Hawk (*Buteo lagopus*) The Rough-legged Hawk is a beautiful bird of prey known for its striking colors and long wings. It loves to soar high in the sky, looking for small animals to eat. You can often see it in open fields and along the edges of forests. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Open fields and forests ![Rough-legged Hawk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Buteo_lagopus_29283.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buteo_lagopus_29283.JPG) ## Appearance The Rough-legged Hawk has brown and white plumage with a distinctive dark belly patch and dark wrist marks on its pale underwings. Its legs are feathered all the way down to its toes, a unique feature among most hawks. It also has a white tail with a broad dark band near the tip. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Buteo ## Interesting facts - In years with many lemmings, Rough-legged Hawks can lay more eggs than usual! - They travel thousands of kilometers from the Arctic to warmer places for the winter! - This hawk is named for its fuzzy "pants" – feathers covering its legs down to its feet! - You can often spot them perched on poles or hovering over open fields in cold weather! ## Special abilities - **Hover Hunter:** Rough-legged Hawks can hover perfectly still in the air because of their broad wings, helping them spot tiny prey below. - **Arctic Warmth:** Rough-legged Hawks have special feathers covering their legs down to their toes that help them stay warm in icy climates. - **Vole Vision:** Rough-legged Hawks possess exceptional eyesight that helps them spot small rodents like voles from very high altitudes. - **Silent Pounce:** Rough-legged Hawks can glide almost silently because of their soft wing feathers, allowing them to surprise unsuspecting prey. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 48-60 cm - **Wingspan:** 120-152 cm - **Weight:** 0.7-1.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-7 - **Incubation:** 28-31 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding These fierce hunters mostly eat small furry animals like voles and lemmings. - **Primary Foods:** Voles, Lemmings, Mice, Shrews, Small Birds - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Norway Lemming (*Lemmus lemmus*) — A primary food source during its Arctic breeding season. - **Hunts:** Meadow Vole (*Microtus pennsylvanicus*) — A key prey item in its wintering grounds and breeding areas. - **Eaten by:** [Common Raven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-raven) (*Corvus corax*) — Known to prey on eggs and chicks in nests. - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — May raid nests for eggs or young chicks. ## Traits - [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. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Rough-legged 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 Rough-legged Hawk? 48-60 cm ### What is Rough-legged Hawk's wingspan? 120-152 cm ### How much does Rough-legged Hawk weigh? 0.7-1.6 kg ### How long does Rough-legged Hawk live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Rough-legged Hawk move? 65 km/h ### What does Rough-legged Hawk eat? These fierce hunters mostly eat small furry animals like voles and lemmings. ### Where is Rough-legged Hawk usually found? Open fields and forests ## Where to spot - [Chesterfield](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chesterfield) — Idaho, US · Neighborhood - [Fort Atkinson](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-atkinson) — Iowa, US · Forest - [Scales Mound Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/scales-mound-historic-district) — Illinois, US · Historic District [View all places to see Rough-legged Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/rough-legged-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: [Rough-legged Hawk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rough-legged-hawk)