Quick answer
Red-tailed Hawks feed as Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds), adjusting with season, age, and local prey or plant availability.
Key takeaway
Red-tailed Hawks feed as Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds), adjusting with season, age, and local prey or plant availability.
Diet overview
Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are best described as Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds). That label summarises preferred foods, not every item an individual might sample.
How they obtain food
Foraging and hunting strategies reflect anatomy and habitat. Energy-rich foods are prioritised when available; lean seasons force broader diets or longer travel.
Seasonal and life-stage shifts
Young red-tailed hawks often eat different foods or receive provisioned meals from parents. Adults may specialise regionally based on what is abundant.
Ecosystem role
As predators or scavengers, red-tailed hawks influence prey, vegetation, or nutrient cycling.
Human conflict
Do not feed wild red-tailed hawks. Habituation raises injury risk for people and animals and can lead to lethal management.
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.
Research notes
Figures for red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) come from field studies, museum records, and conservation assessments that do not always agree on exact averages. Prefer ranges over single-point claims, and check whether a source describes wild, captive, or mixed populations.
Practical takeaways
If you encounter red-tailed hawks in the wild, prioritise distance and local guidance. If you care for related domestic or captive animals, match diet and housing to species needs rather than generic pet advice. Share accurate status information (Least Concern) when discussing conservation.
Sources
FAQs
What Do Red-tailed Hawks Eat?
Red-tailed Hawks feed as Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds), adjusting with season, age, and local prey or plant availability.
What is the scientific name of the red-tailed hawk?
Buteo jamaicensis
What do red-tailed hawks eat?
Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds)
Where do red-tailed hawks live?
Open country, fields, deserts, and roadsides
Are red-tailed hawks endangered?
Listed here as Least Concern. Check IUCN and national lists for the latest assessment.