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Red Tailed Hawk (with lunch video))

Buteo jamaicensis

Description:

Red-tailed Hawks are large hawks with typical Buteo proportions: very broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Large females seen from a distance might fool you into thinking you’re seeing an eagle. (Until an actual eagle comes along.) Color Pattern Most Red-tailed Hawks are rich brown above and pale below, with a streaked belly and, on the wing underside, a dark bar between shoulder and wrist. The tail is usually pale below and cinnamon-red above, though in young birds it’s brown and banded. “Dark-phase” birds are all chocolate-brown with a warm red tail. “Rufous-phase” birds are reddish-brown on the chest with a dark belly.

Habitat:

This is probably the most common hawk in North America. This one was spotted in the middle of the city of Tallahassee.

Notes:

The story behind the images and video. It had just finished raining and was still pretty windy and overcasted out. I was talking to a co-worker when this one swooped over our heads and snagged a mockingbird fledgling. He immediately landed in the pine tree with both mockingbird parents flying at him, swiping him in the tail feathers. He continued to ignore them and eat his freshly caught meal. They eventually stopped while he was eating, but just as soon as he was finished the parents returned and continued to "spank" him. Strange they would continue to attack even after their poor youngster was gone. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-t...

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5 Comments

MelissaFerguson
MelissaFerguson 11 years ago

Nice series Mary...very cool video!!

MaryEvans2
MaryEvans2 11 years ago

Thank you flybeasley :)

flybeasley
flybeasley 11 years ago

Great spotting. Very well put together. Thank you sharing!!!!

MaryEvans2
MaryEvans2 11 years ago

I thought the same thing Mandy especially since the mockingbirds are my favorite and are the birds that got me interested in birding, but hey, the hawk has to eat as well.

Mandy Hollman
Mandy Hollman 11 years ago

Aw, that's sad about the little mockingbird. Beautiful hawk, though.

MaryEvans2
Spotted by
MaryEvans2

Tallahassee, Florida, USA

Spotted on Jun 6, 2012
Submitted on Jun 7, 2012

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