Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
- Habitat: Wide range which includes temperate forests, subtropical and tropical montane forests, shrubland, desert, rural fields and gardens
- Range: Canada, Mexico, United States and the Caribbean Islands
- Natural Diet: reptiles, birds and small mammals
- Status in the Wild: Common
Fun Facts
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Adults have reddish-brown tail feathers that gave them their name
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They have excellent eye sight and they are able to spot their prey when they are flying
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They have sharp, curved beaks, and large claws called talons that they use to shred their prey
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Females are larger than the males. They reach sexual maturity at two years of age.
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Their vocalization sounds like a raspy screech
Conservation Threats
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Illegal hunting and trapping of this species occurs for pet trade and for display purposes