A large pale hawk with rusty-red shoulders and legs.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The ferruginous hawk is a large bird of prey and belongs to the broad-winged buteo hawks. An old colloquial name is ferrugineous rough-leg, due to its similarity to the closely related rough-legged hawk.
Source: Wikipedia — Ferruginous hawk Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Large, pale, long-winged buteo. Light morph has a white head and underparts, rusty 'leggings' forming a V, and rusty shoulders; dark morph rich chocolate. Gape extends notably wide.
Similar species. Red-tailed Hawk has a brick-red tail and a dark belly band; the Ferruginous is paler, larger, with rusty legs and a big gape.
Voice. A harsh, gull-like 'kree-a' alarm; generally quiet away from the nest.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects depending on species.
Behavior. The largest North American hawk (a buteo of open western plains); hunts ground squirrels and prairie dogs from perches, low flight, or by waiting at burrows.
§ Range
Western Great Plains
§ Habitat
Open grasslands, sagebrush
§ Threats
Grassland loss, climate change.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the ferruginous hawk is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support grassland conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Ferruginous hawk
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Buteo regalis
- IUCN Red List — search for Buteo regalis
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Buteo regalis
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
