Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Order: Falconiformes Family: Accipitridae Genus: Buteo Species: jamaicensis Profile: 4 positives No neutrals No negatives Regional... This bird has been reportedly found in the following regions: Fairhope, Alabama Marina, California San Diego, California (2 reports) Lombard, Illinois Westchester, Illinois Coatesville, Indiana Benton, Kentucky Ewing, Kentucky Hebron, Kentucky Belleville, Michigan Jackson, Michigan Paw Paw, Michigan Le Center, Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Golden, Mississippi Cole Camp, Missouri Conway, Missouri Lincoln, Nebraska Warner, New Hampshire Corning, Ohio North Ridgeville, Ohio Gold Hill, Oregon Portland, Oregon Salem, Oregon Downingtown, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Whitehall, Pennsylvania Fort Worth, Texas Edinburg, Virginia Member Notes: Rating Author Comment Positive Malus2006 On Feb 8, 2009, Malus2006 from Coon Rapids, MN (Zone 4a) wrote: Seemly like the population of red tail hawk in the Twin Cities have make a big jump in recent years - now can be seen pretty much all year round - they loves large open spaces and roadside - mainly commonly near intersections with a small patch of wild forest nearby. Often I have seen them perching in trees - usually the most exposed tree, sometimes lightposts and once in a while signs and lower in trees - can be seen by their large size and white breast when driving. In fact for me, driving is the best way to see those raptors. Their huge size (they are the biggest of all the hawks in the region - only eagles, some owls, and vultures are bigger) make them a easy id. Only the migrantary and uncommon red shoulder hawk comes closer to size but like I said they are uncommon to rare in the area. What they feed on in winter is unknown, but other birds may be a suspect as I have not seen marks of them impacting the snow on the roadside as there are very few footprints humans or animals on roadside snow during winter, mostly around drain pipes (rats, maybe?) and good size wetlands. Voles are active during wintertime and are more common than most people think, usually burrowing under the snow. I have seen at least one carrying a blackbird being chased by other blackbirds and have seen one land in the center strip, maybe after some rodent? Roadsides are rodent heaven as there are few other predators around to keep their numbers down because of car death rate. Positive crengle62 On Feb 9, 2009, crengle62 from Marina, CA (Zone 10b) wrote: Ilike them they eat vermin (rats etc) altho them and the crows don't get along lol Positive MichaelZ On Feb 11, 2009, MichaelZ from Portland, OR (Zone 8a) wrote: I have a pair that hunts in my part of the city and they are great to watch. And, it is fun to watch them battle with the crows guarding their own nests. A hawk landed across the street from me one spring day and I swear crows came flying from miles away to deal with the threat. It was a Hitchcockian experience. Z Positive natureluvver On Sep 4, 2009, natureluvver from Philadelphia, PA wrote: Philadelphia was given a real treat this year by having 2 red-tailed hawks building a nest on a window ledge of a Science Museum in the middle of the city. They laid 3 eggs that hatched, and the nestlings successfully fledged in June. The museum set up a video camera aimed at the nest from the time the first egg was laid until the end of June. Anyone watching on their computer literally had a bird's-eye view of everything that goes on in the red-tail's nest by light of day, even the parents bringing "prey" and feeding the nestlings. We even saw the eggs hatching! Hopefully, the 2 parents will come back next year. Absolutely fascinating.

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