Red-Tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis By Weston Weller

RECAP In case you did not get notes from video…

Habitat Red-Tails can occupy about every habitat in North America, that is why they are so widespread and known Can find them in grasslands, deserts, mountain plains, forests, open fields, deserts, even rainforests

Classification Animalia Chordata Aves Falconiform Accipitridae Buteo jamaicensis

Distribution Ranges from Canada to Panama Conservation Status: Stable and numbers are increasing

Physical Characteristics Females are usually larger than males No other extreme differences for the male and female

Behavior Does not hibernate Migrates short distances

Reproductive Mating: done by spectacular aerial maneuvers Have 2-4 eggs, rarely 1 or 5 Incubation done by both parents, days Females stay in nest while males drop food to them Mate for life

Young Cainism is not common but not rare. Happens when older siblings need protein to grow, but does not occur as much as eagles Leave the nest at days A common predator of these chicks is the Great Horned Owl

Diet and Hunting Behavior Eats small mammals (squirrels, voles, etc), small birds, reptiles, even fish Hunt by swooping down from a perch to seize prey, also can be seen soaring over fields, looking for prey

Human Relations Red-tailed Hawks are very helpful to us as controllers of rodents They were becoming endangered because of pesticides and other chemicals used by us, but we have stopped using as much as we once did.

Interesting Facts Most movies you watch, regardless of what bird you see on the screen, you hear a Red-Tailed Hawk call. Prime example: Lord of the Rings/ The Hobbit