Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Quick answer
The red-tailed hawk is a large bird of prey and the most common hawk in North America, named for the brick-red tail of the adult. It soars over open country on broad wings, hunting rodents and other small animals with keen eyesight. Its piercing scream is often dubbed over eagles in films. Red-tailed hawks usually live 10 to 15 years in the wild.
Red-tailed Hawk facts at a glance
| Scientific name | Buteo jamaicensis |
|---|---|
| Diet | Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds) |
| Habitat | Open country, fields, deserts, and roadsides |
| Lifespan | 10–15 years in the wild |
| Wingspan | 1.1–1.5 m (3.5–4.8 ft) |
| Top speed | Up to 190 km/h (120 mph) in a dive |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae |
| Genus | Buteo |
Where it lives
Open and semi-open country across North America, from Alaska and Canada to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Behavior and hunting
Red-tailed hawks hunt mostly by perching or soaring and then dropping onto prey with their powerful talons. Their eyesight is several times sharper than a human's, letting them spot a mouse from high above. They are highly adaptable and are often seen perched on fence posts, telephone poles, and trees beside highways, watching the grass below.
Appearance and the famous call
Adults are bulky hawks with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail that is brick-red on top. Plumage varies widely from pale to dark birds across their range. Their hoarse, screaming "keeeer" is one of the most recognizable bird sounds in film and television, where it is frequently used as the voice of a bald eagle, which actually has a much weaker call.
Habitat and range
The red-tailed hawk is found across nearly all of North America, from Alaska and Canada down through the United States, Mexico, and into Central America and the Caribbean. It thrives in open and semi-open habitats, including grasslands, deserts, farmland, and the edges of cities, which has helped make it one of the continent's most widespread raptors.
Nesting and family life
Pairs often mate for life and return to the same territory year after year, building large stick nests high in tall trees or on cliffs and ledges. The female lays one to three eggs, and both parents share incubation and feeding. Young hawks fledge after about six weeks but may depend on their parents for food for several more weeks.
Frequently asked questions about the Red-tailed Hawk
What do red-tailed hawks eat?
Red-tailed hawks are carnivores that mainly eat small mammals such as mice, voles, rats, and rabbits. They also take reptiles, smaller birds, and large insects, hunting from a perch or while soaring.
How fast can a red-tailed hawk fly?
In normal flight they cruise at around 30 to 65 km/h (20 to 40 mph), but in a hunting dive, called a stoop, a red-tailed hawk can reach speeds of up to about 190 km/h (120 mph).
Why is the red-tailed hawk's scream used for eagles in movies?
The red-tailed hawk has a powerful, raspy scream that sounds suitably fierce, so filmmakers often dub it over images of bald eagles, whose real call is a surprisingly weak, chirpy whistle.
How long do red-tailed hawks live?
Wild red-tailed hawks typically live 10 to 15 years, though many die young. In captivity, with steady food and veterinary care, some have lived past 25 years.
Are red-tailed hawks dangerous to people or pets?
Red-tailed hawks rarely pose a threat to people and almost never attack adults. Very small pets can occasionally be at risk, but attacks are uncommon, and the hawks mostly avoid humans.
Where do red-tailed hawks live?
They live across most of North America, from Canada and Alaska to Central America, favoring open habitats such as fields, deserts, and roadsides where they can spot prey easily.
