Red-Tailed Hawk

Description:

A large (19-25 inches) hawk, the Red-tailed Hawk is most easily identified by its dark brown back, pale underparts, and rusty-red tail visible from above or below. In some parts of this species’ range, exceptionally light or dark subspecies occur, having more or less pigment in the back, breast, and tail than the nominative subspecies. Male and female Red-tailed Hawks are similarly-plumaged in all seasons; however, like most species of raptors, females are larger than males.

Habitat:

Red-tailed Hawks occupy just about every type of open habitat on the continent. This includes desert, scrublands, grasslands, roadsides, fields and pastures, parks, broken woodland, and (in Mexico) tropical rainforest.

Notes:

Up in the hills around the Val Verde, Ca. area this afternoon....I spotted three red-tailed hawks in the air - was not sure if it was courting but you can see the talons....wasn't fast enough to catch the third hawk!