The Red-tail is a large, soaring hawk.
Its wings are broad and its tail, fan-shaped and chestnut-red
above, is not always visible. This hawk is light underneath with
dark streaks across the belly. Young birds have dark gray 
tails, which
may or may not show banding. Underparts of typical Red-tails
are "zoned" (light breast, broad band of streakings
across belly). There is a great deal of variation, especially
in the Plains, where more than one race occurs. Individuals vary
from the whitish, white-tailed kriderii race (Great Plains) and
the pale-breasted race fuertesi (Big Bend and s. Texas) to reddish
birds of the typical western race calurus, and even dusky melanistic
birds. Black adults usually show red tails (unlike other black
Buteos). Immatures are often light at the base of the tail, leading
to confusion with Rough-leg and Swainson's. The voice is a rasping
squeal, keeer-r-r (slurring downward.) The Red-shouldered Hawk
is similar with a distinctly banded tail. Red-tails are from
19-25 inches long. The wing span is 4 feet. The female is larger,
but similar. The young with dark, faintly barred tail. It is
a permanent resident throughout its range, except in the north
central states.
Red-tails lay 2 to 4 dull or creamy white;
spotted reddish brown eggs (2.6 x 1.8 inches). The nest is built
from branches and twigs; lined with grasses, weeds, dead 
leaves in tall
trees, 20-80 feet up; in forest areas or in small groves. The
young hatch after four to five weeks and leave the nest to hunt
with their parents after a further five to six weeks.
The habitat is open country, woodlands,
mountains and deserts. The Red-tail breeds throughout North America,
from Alaska east to Nova Scotia and southward. It winters across
the United States north to southern British Columbia and the
Maritime Provinces.
American members of the genus Buteo includes
the Red-tail, Red-shouldered, Swainson's, and Gray hawks, among
others. The Red-tail is the most common. The so-called Harlan's
Hawk was formerly considered to be a separate species. It does
look different with its overall dark plumage, a dusky white tail,
a diffuse blackish terminal band and showing some white streaking
in the breast. This form breeds in Alaska and Canada. After nesting
is complete these birds move south to winter in the central United
States.
The Great Plains version of the Red-tailed
Hawk is the so-called Krider's Hawk, which has paler underparts
and a whitish tail with a pale reddish hue, while in flight it
shows pale rectangular patches at the base of the primaries on
the upperwing.
Like other "buteo" hawks, Red-tails
spiral across the sky using updraughts and thermals to keep them
aloft without too much wing flapping as they search for prey.
Although Red-tails spend long hours in flight, they also like
to wait on a favorite perch, watching over a selected area as
they search for their favorite prey: small rodents, birds, snakes
and insects.
The little plush red-tailed hawk at left
is made by Wild Republic and is part of their Audubon
Bird Collection.
