Predatory Behavior of the Red-Tailed Hawk
Joe Stinnett
Jeremy Englert
Tony Carman
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus + species: Buteo jamaicensis
Common name: Red-tailed hawk
The red-tailed hawk is a member of a group of birds called raptors. In Latin, the term for raptors means, "to seize". They are birds of prey.
Females are generally larger than males. Females are between 20-25 inches in length. Females have a wingspread up to 54 inches. Females weigh between 2 to 3½ pounds. Males are between 18 and 23 inches in length. Males have a wingspread up to 45 inches. Males weigh between 1½ to 2½ pounds.
Typically, the coloration of adults is of a dark brown on the back and top of their wings. Their underside is light with a dark belly- band. The neck and chest are of a cinnamon wash, and they have a uniformly reddish colored tail. The coloration of juvenile is slightly different. Immature birds resemble the adults with the exception that their tail is brown with dark bars instead of the uniformly reddish colored tail. The reddish color molts in during the second year.
The red-tailed hawk’s range consists of tundra to semi-desert areas. This extends from central Alaska through Canada and across the entire United States, down south through Mexico and into Central America.
The habitat of the red-tailed hawk includes open fields near woodland seclusion for nesting and the prey of plenty of small animals. They are most commonly found in deciduous and mixed forests, interspersed with pastures, fields, meadows, bogs, and clear-cuts. They can also be found in open country, prairie groves, mountains, plains, and even along roadsides.
Socially, red-tailed hawks are solitary animals. They are monogamous when it comes to mating, and they form permanent pair bonds. They do not begin breeding until the third year. Pairs will build large stick nests near the tops of trees, usually deciduous or white pines. The female lays a clutch of 2-4 eggs that are usually laid in April or May, hatching in about 30 days. The young will remain in the nest until they can fly, then they will follow the parents until they can hunt and forage for themselves.
The red-tailed hawks feed on a wide variety of prey including everything from small mice to rabbits and hares. They will also feed on medium sized birds and reptiles such as lizards and snakes. The red-tailed hawk is diurnal or day active and has extremely keen eyesight and can often be seen perching in a tree at the edge of a meadow watching for the slightest movement in the field below. They can spot field mice and other small mammals from hundreds of feet in the air. They cannot see color so this makes them very good at seeing movement. Their eyes in diameter are approximately the size of human eyes, and they possess binocular vision. Without the distraction of all the extra information makes them better hunters. They are accomplished gliders, often circling for hours on the thermal air currents, staying aloft yet using very little energy. They will soar in wide circles from 20 to 40 mph and can drop upon their prey in steep dives reaching speeds up to 120 mph. They possess a strong hooked or curved beak that allows them to tear apart and swallow its meal. They also possess large talons for grasping and squeezing the life out of prey.
When hunting with a red-tailed hawk, a number of factors have to be taken into consideration. The falconer has to make sure the hawk is at the right weight in order for it to want to hunt. When hunting rabbits, the falconer will usually find a field to hunt. The falconer will direct his hawk to a high enough perch in a tree so that the hawk can spot a bunny. If the falconer wants to help by participating in the hunt, they will usually do this by trying to brush out a rabbit in order for the hawk to pick up on its movement. Once a hawk picks up on the movement of a rabbit it will descend on this prey in a steep dive and grasp the prey with its large and powerful talons. One can hear the rabbit cry for its life as the hawk squeezes it away.
When hunting squirrels, a different approach has to be taken. Usually, the falconer will take his or her hawk to wooded or semi-wooded area where squirrels like to habitat. The squirrels can be a little trickier than the rabbits. They will try to use the trees as barriers between themselves and the hawk. The squirrels also perform such stunts as remaining motionless in order to avoid the hawk. They are able to use this because the hawk’s eyesight only allows them to pick-up on movement. This is where help from the falconer comes into play. They will often use a slingshot or some other similar method that will be effective enough to keep the squirrel moving so the hawk can continue to pick up on the movement. The success rate is not as high as the success rate for the hawks preying on rabbits.
In conclusion, the red-tailed hawk or Buteo jamaicensis is a powerful, husky hawk, and with its loud, defiant scream and frequent soaring it has become one of the more familiar birds of prey. They have no true predator, except man. However, it’s aggressiveness and adaptability have made it the most numerous and successful bird of prey in North America.