Facts about Red-tailed Hawks
Their wingspread, depending on the species, ranges from 18 to 26 inches. Their weight ranges from 1.5 to 4.4 pounds. The Red-tailed Hawk is carnivorous, and an opportunistic feeder. The Red-tailed Hawk is known in the United States as the "chickenhawk," though it rarely preys on chickens. In flight, this hawk soars with wings in a slight dihedral, flapping as little as possible to conserve energy. Immature Red-tailed Hawks can be readily identified at close range by their yellowish irises. As the bird attains full maturity over the course of 3–4 years, the iris slowly darkens into a reddish-brown hue. The Red-tailed Hawk reaches sexual maturity at two years of age. The cry of the Red-tailed Hawk is a two to three second hoarse, rasping scream, described as kree-eee-ar, which begins at a high pitch and slurs downward. This cry is often described as sounding similar to a steam whistle. It is monogamous, mating with the same individual for many years. In general, the Red-tailed Hawk will only take a new mate when its original mate dies. A male Red-tailed Hawk may weigh from 690 to 1300 grams (1.5 to 3.5 pounds) and measure 45–56 cm (18 to 22 in). A female Red-tailed Hawk can weigh between 900 and 2000 grams (2 and 4.4 pounds) and measure 18 to 26 in (45 to 65 cm). In copulation, the female, when perched, tilts forward, allowing the male to land with his feet lodged on her horizontal back. The female twists and moves her tail feathers to one side, while the mounted male twists his cloacal opening around the to the female's cloaca. Copulation lasts 5 to 10 seconds and during pre-nesting courtship in late winter or early spring can occur numerous times each day. During courtship, the male and female fly in wide circles while uttering shrill cries. The male performs aerial displays, diving steeply, and then climbing again. After repeating this display several times, he sometimes grasps her talons briefly with his own. The feathers and other parts of the Red-tailed Hawk are considered sacred to many American indigenous people and, like the feathers of the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle, are sometimes used in religious ceremonies and found adorning the regalia of many Native Americans in the United States; these parts, most especially their distinctive tail feathers, are a popular item in the Native American community. The Red-tailed Hawk displays sexual dimorphism in size, as females are 25% larger than males. The Red-tailed Hawk hunts primarily from an elevated perch site, swooping down from a perch to seize prey, catching birds while flying, or pursuing prey on the ground from a low flight. The female Red-tailed Hawk feeds its young after tearing the food into small pieces. Their courtship flights can last 10 minutes or more. When the Red-tailed Hawk walks, its steps are slow and awkward. Their eggs are incubated primarily by female, with the male substituting when the female leaves to hunt or merely stretch her wings. When threatened by a human intruder, a Red-tailed Hawk will generally flee rather than defend its nest. Their eggs are usually about 60 x 47 mm (2.4 x 1.9 in). Its diet is mainly small mammals, but it also includes birds and reptiles. Prey varies with regional and seasonal availability, but usually centers on rodents. Female Red-tailed Hawks lay a clutch of 1 to 3 eggs in March or April. Their clutch size depends almost exclusively on the availability of prey for the adults. Their incubation period is from 28 to 35 days. Their young are known as eyasses. After 42 to 46 days their young(eyasses) begin to leave the nest on short flights. Adults are typically dark brown and the immature ones are gray brown. There are five different species of Hawks in the United states and several more around the world. Their colors vary slightly. They have a quite noticeable shade of red on their tail end. A few species are black, but it is rare. The Red-tailed Hawk reaches sexual maturity at three years of age. Red-tailed hawk will take a new mate when its original mate dies. The "Harlan's Hawk" was once considered a separate species. It breeds in Alaska and northwestern Canada, and winters on the southern Great Plains. This very dark form has a marbled white, brown, and gray tail instead of a red one. Many individuals intermediate between Harlan's and more typical Red-tailed Hawks can be found. The raspy cry of the Red-tailed Hawk is used in movies to represent any eagle or hawk anywhere in the world. In the courtship display a pair of Red-tailed Hawks soars in wide circles at a great height. The male dives down in a steep drop, then shoots up again at nearly as steep an angle. He repeats this maneuver several times, then approaches the female from above. He extends his legs and touches or grasps her briefly. The pair may grab onto one other and may interlock their talons and spiral toward the ground. |
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