Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Birds Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas

	General Description: Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are large hawks that are easy to recognize if you see the red tail. Otherwise, the dark head, bright white breast, dark belly band, and white belly helps to identify them. In flight, they usually have black elbows. Red-tails show several color patterns, and some are difficult to identify. Young birds do not have a red tail. Red-tailed Hawks are part of a group of hawks called Buteos, which includes all members of the genus Buteo and related genera. These hawks are recognized by their broad, rounded wings and soaring behavior.
	Favored Habitat: Open deserts with places to perch (e.g., powerpoles) and hunt. Where to Find: Never common, but found in the desert and around cliffs. Watch for Red-tails sitting on powerpoles in the open desert. Comments:
	Red-tail in flight. Note the black elbows
	Don't always expect a red tail
	Even in dark-colored birds, note the dark head, light chest and belly, and dark belly band.
	Red-tailed Hawk on a high-tension powerline. Note the alternating dark and light pattern on the underside: dark hood, white breast, dark belly band, and white belly.
	Even in pale Red-tailed Hawks, there is a bit of a belly band and a dark head.
	Mounted Red-tailed Hawk on display at Malhuer National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. Note the alternating dark and light pattern on the underside: dark hood, white breast, dark belly band, and white belly.
	Mounted Red-tailed Hawk on display at Malhuer National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. When you can see it, the red tail uniquely identifies this species.
	Red-tailed Hawk soaring.
	Those are some serious hawk toes!
	Somebody is not happy to see me.
	If you were a tasty rabbit or a big fat snake, this might be the last face you ever see!

Stately Red-tailed Hawk standing in a Joshua Tree	Red-tailed Hawk in a Joshua Tree.
Common Ravens harassing a Red-tailed Hawk	Dark Red-tailed Hawk
Soaring flight	Flapping flight.

	Note mottled pattern on the back
	Red-tailed Hawk taking flight
Red-tailed Hawk taking flight	1. On the ground
2. Taking flight	3. Notice the flexation in the wing tips
4. Broad wing with banding	5. Heading for the skies








Red-tailed Hawk on a red, sandstone cliff in Utah	Red-tailed Hawk on a red, sandstone cliff in Utah