Basic Information
Order
Accipitriformes
Family
Accipitridae
Size
Red and tailed Hawks can grow to more than 26 inches in length.
Lifespan
18+ years in the wild
Weight
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) facts, habitat, range, hawk pictures and bird watching tips to help you identify the bird of prey.
Diet
Red-tailed Hawks primarily prey on small mammals but will also eat other birds, reptiles and carrion.
Behavior
Soaring
Range
Nest Placement
Tree
Number of Offspring
1–5 Eggs
Egg Description
Buff White blotched with brown or purple
Condition at Hatching
Feeble, tiny
Social Status
Solitary/Pairs
Wingspan
1.5-3.5 ft
Observation Tips
Very common
What does the Red-tailed Hawk look like?
Adult Red-Tailed Hawks are large raptors that have brown heads, backs, wings, and reddish tails. Their breasts are white streaked with brown. Western Hawks tend to be darker in color and the species as a whole varies geographically. Juveniles look similar to adults except the tail is an off white.
Red-tailed Hawk Habitat
Open Forests
Red-tailed Hawk Facts
Female Red-Tailed Hawks are larger than males. Monogamous, pairs tend to mate for several breeding seasons, laying an average of 3 eggs per season. Red-Tailed Hawks are very territorial; females tend to defend the nesting area, while males tend to defend territory boundaries. Adult hawks make a horse scream that is often described as sounding like a steam whistle. Their diet consists mainly of small rodents. They are also known to cache food. Red-Tailed Hawks have expanded their range in the last century. Scientists believe this is likely due to an increase in patchy forests.
