Red-Tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Also known as: Chicken Hawk, Macaw, Macou
Habitat
Mid-canopy
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
1.1 kg
About This Species
Widespread across North America, this large hawk is most often spotted soaring on broad, rounded wings over open country, or perched conspicuously on roadside poles and dead trees scanning for rodents. Its rasping, descending scream is a familiar sound of open skies and is frequently used in media to represent raptors generally. Thermals on clear, sunny days bring birds up to soar, and roadside perches make it one of the easier raptors to find by car.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Observe from a substantial distance, ideally with binoculars, since raptors are sensitive to close approach and flushing a hunting or perched bird wastes energy it cannot easily recover.
- All native birds of prey are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the US and equivalent law in Canada and Mexico, and nests must not be approached or disturbed, particularly during incubation and the early chick period.
- Never approach a nest site directly, and use a vehicle as a mobile blind for roadside birds rather than getting out to approach on foot.
LCAvesAccipitriformesAccipitridae
Seasonal Activity
11,872,587 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Mid-canopy
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 1.1 kg
Photo
(c) chipperatl, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by chipperatl
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.