Ferruginous_Hawk

Description:

The Ferruginous Hawk (ferruginous = from Latin ferrum - iron, ferrgin-, iron rust, iron-rust color - reddish-brown), Buteo regalis (Latin, royal hawk), is a large bird of prey and belongs to the broad-winged buteo hawks. An old colloquial name is "Ferrugineous Rough-leg", due to its similarity to the closely related Rough-legged Hawk (B. lagopus). This species is a large, broad-winged hawk of the open, arid grasslands, prairie and shrub steppe country; it is endemic to the interior parts of North America. It is used as a falconry bird in its native range.

Habitat:

The preferred habitat for Ferruginous Hawks are the arid and semiarid grassland regions of North America. The countryside is open, level, or rolling prairies; foothills or middle elevation plateaus largely devoid of trees; and cultivated shelterbelts or riparian corridors. Rock outcrops, shallow canyons, and gullies may characterize some habitats. These hawks avoid high elevations, forest interiors, narrow canyons, and cliff areas. During the breeding season, the preference is for grasslands, sage, and other arid shrub country. Nesting occurs in the open areas or in trees including cottonwoods, willows, and swamp oaks along waterways. Cultivated fields and modified grasslands are avoided during the breeding period. The density of Ferruginous Hawks in grasslands declines in an inverse relationship to the degree of cultivation of the grasslands. However, high densities have been reported in areas where nearly 80 percent of the grassland was under cultivation. The winter habitat is similar to that used during the summer. However, cultivated areas are not necessarily avoided, particularly when the crops are not plowed under after harvest. The standing stubble provides habitat for the small-mammal prey base needed by Ferruginous and other hawks. One requisite of the habitat is perches such as poles, lone trees, knolls, rocky outcrops or large boulders. Ferruginous Hawks nest in trees if they are available, including riparian strips, but the presence of water does not appear to be critical to them.

Notes:

The voice is not well-described in literature. Alarm calls consist of kree - a or ke - ah and harsh kaah, kaah calls, the latter resembling some vocalizations of the herring gull. One description referred to the "wavering" alarm call and "breathy" notes, while other authors describe screams similar to those of the Red-tailed Hawk (B. jamaicensis).