Red-tailed Hawk in Flight Notecard

Description

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Red-tailed hawks are one of the most far-ranging and recognizable birds in all of the U.S. and Canada.  Belonging to a group called buteos, or soaring hawks, their broad, rounded wings and fan-shaped tails take full advantage of rising warm air currents.  Look for them circling overhead on clear, still days, and watch for them perched on telephone poles along country roads and city highways looking for rodents, insects and rabbits.  Listen for their loud, frequent call; a wheezy, down-slurred kleeeeeer.

Adult pairs mate for life and perform spectacular aerial acrobatics in the spring as part of courtship and territorial behavior.  Together they build a large nest of sticks in a tree or on a cliff.  The female lays 1-5 eggs and both sexes share the duties of incubating the eggs and feeding the young.

Many cultures respect hawks for their grace and their ability to adapt to changes in their environment.  Because they are observant and clear-sighted, they challenge us to take a broader view.  Red-tailed hawks are common and easy to observe.  When you see one, pay attention to the qualities they inspire.

artwork by Steve Sierigk