Red-tailed Hawk

Raptor Resources Types of Birds Types of Hawks Types of Owls

Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are common residents of open areas throughout the United States.

The top picture shows typical red-tailed hawk behavior, perching on telephone wires or fence posts in search of prey.

The picture also shows the hawk's characteristic red tail feathers. Juveniles less than a year old do not have red tail feathers.

Like many hawk species, fall marks Red-tailed Hawk migration season. Large groups are spotted and counted as they make their way south to Mexico along a fairly well established migration corridors which are determined by wind patterns. They return in early spring, often to their same nesting places.

© 2007 Patricia A. Michaels