Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Red-tailed hawks earn their name due to their iconic red tail that can be seen while perched and or in flight. As juveniles, red-tailed hawks look like adults, but their eyes will be a bright yellow and their overall colorations are lighter. As they grow, their wings can range anywhere from auburn to a dark brown color, their cream-colored bodies will get darker, they will have a single black band that runs across their tail feathers, and their eyes will turn to a dark brown. They are found all through Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central America and although they do not need to migrate, those that are in colder conditions may travel to avoid harsh conditions. Their look is not the only iconic aspect of these birds, you may recognize their call as it is often used in films as a bald eagle call. Today these birds are protected under The Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Click HERE for a Red-Tailed Hawk Activity Sheet!
Our Current Residents
Amarillo, Male – Hatched 2016-2018 (estimated and celebrated)
Amarillo came to ZooMontana in February 2021 from the Wildlife Center of Montana located in Helena, Montana after he sustained injuries to his left wing in the wild that made him nonreleasable.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Accipitriformes
- Family: Accipitridae
- Genus: Buteo
- Species: Buteo jamaicensis
Animal Facts
Carnivore: mainly eat small rodents
Population Status (according to IUCN): currently listed as Least Concern
Montana Population Status (according to Montana Field Guide): currently listed as Secure
Habitat: scrub, desert, plains, and montane grasslands, fields/pastures, woodlands, etc.
Activity: diurnal- mainly active during the day
