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WoodlandPlatform nestLarge · 1.1 kg
What the Red-tailed Hawk sounds like
ID tip
The red-tailed hawk is dimorphic in size, as females are up to 25% larger than males. As is typical in large raptors, frequently reported mean body mass for red-tailed hawks is somewhat higher than expansive research reveals. Part of this weight is highly seasonally variable and due to clinal variation; male red-tailed hawks may weigh from 690 to 1,300 g (1.52 to 2.87 lb) and females from 900 to 2,000 g (2.0 to 4.4 lb). Voice: The cry of the red-tailed hawk is a two- to three-second, hoarse, rasping scream, described as kree-eee-ar, that begins at a high pitch and slurs downward. This cry is often described as sounding similar to a steam whistle.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Red-tailed Hawk
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is April, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Red-tailed Hawk
The map shades 23 countries with regular records, and 5 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Colombia, Guadeloupe, Antigua & Barbuda, Belgium.
About the Red-tailed Hawk
The red-tailed hawk is a bird of prey and one of the most common hawks in North America. In the United States, it is one of three species colloquially known as the "chickenhawk". The red-tailed hawk breeds throughout most of the continent, from western Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West Indies. The red-tailed hawk occupies a wide range of habitats and altitudes, including deserts, grasslands, coniferous and deciduous forests, agricultural fields, and urban areas. It is absent in areas of unbroken forest and in the high arctic. It is legally protected in Canada, Mexico, and the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatusMales are 38 to 58 cm (15 to 23 in) long and weigh on average 550 g (1.21 lb).
Common BuzzardButeo buteoThe common buzzard is a medium-sized raptor that is highly variable in plumage.
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusThe broad-winged hawk is a relatively small Buteo, with a body size from 32 to 44 cm (13 to 17 in) in length and weighing 265 to 560 g (9.3 to 19.8 oz).
Side by side: Red-shouldered Hawk vs Red-tailed Hawk · Common Buzzard vs Red-tailed Hawk · Broad-winged Hawk vs Red-tailed Hawk
Watch the Red-tailed Hawk on live cams
Browse all 118 bird cams worldwide, live and seasonal, by region and species.
Learn the Red-tailed Hawk in the BeakBrain App
Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.
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