RED-TAILED
HAWK
#RTH-401
Notecards
#LE-RTH-401 Limited Edition Print
Once threatened
by hawk bounties, the red-tail has made a spectacular comeback.
It is now the most abundant hawk in North America. The red-tail's
breeding range extends from Alaska through Central America and
encompasses the entire continental United States. Although many
of the birds migrate south for the winter, some stay put in the
northernmost states.
Red-tails
adapt easily to diverse settings, largely because they are not
particularly picky eaters. They favor mammals such as mice, rabbits
and possums. But they will not hesitate to take medium size birds
and reptiles such as lizards and snakes. Patient hunters, they
will wait for hours at a time on a favorite perch until a meal
presents itself. They also hunt from the air, soaring effortlessly
on broad wings that typically span 4.5 feet.
Red-tails
usually weigh between 2 and 4 pounds. Coloration varies widely,
but adults typically have rust-colored tails. Until they mature,
these hawks have dark gray tails, making them difficult to identify.
Regardless of their appearance, red-tails share a distinctive,
harsh "keeeyerr" squeal.
Text © 2000 Terry White, Drawing ©
2000 Bill Harrah
.
. . BIRDS OF PREY . . . (Click on an image to
see the actual notecard size)