Where Do Red-Tailed Hawks Live?

The red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is one of the most common hawks in North America. In the off chance you’ve never seen one, you’ve definitely heard one. The screech of the red-tailed hawk is used in movies as the call of almost all birds of prey. But off of the silver screen, where can you find one? Let’s take a look at where red-tailed hawks live.

About the Red-Tailed Hawk

Red-tailed hawks are often seen soaring the skies, on the lookout for prey and threats. Adult birds are easily identifiable by their namesake red tails, which turn red in their second year. Red-tailed hawks generally have brown backs and pale, streaked bellies and chests.

Not all red-tailed hawks look the same though. There are 16 subspecies spread across North and Central America and they vary in coloration. Dark-morph birds are more common in western North America, while eastern hawks tend to be lighter. Western birds have more variation in their coloring than those in the east, while Great Plains hawks have a light pink color in their tails.

All the subspecies are similar in size, and females are larger than males. Red-tailed hawks are the largest hawk species in eastern North America and typically weigh up to 3.5 pounds with a wingspan of up to 4.5 feet. However, the red-tailed hawk is smaller than the Ferruginous hawk, found in the northern Great Plains and western part of the continent.

The red-tailed hawk’s conservation status is least concern, with populations holding stable and growing in some areas. There are an estimated 3.1 million red-tailed hawks in the world.  

Habitat

Red-tailed hawks are highly adaptive and live in various habitats including mixed forests and woodlands, scrub deserts, farmland, pastures, parks, and grasslands. They prefer areas with both high areas for perching (like tall trees or telephone poles) and open land for hunting.

This is why you often see red-tailed hawks on signs and light posts alongside highways: they have a high vantage point to see from and an open roadway to catch prey. They have excellent vision and can see prey from over 100 feet in the air. This eyesight is about eight times better than a human’s. Red-tailed hawks are diurnal and are most active at dusk and dawn.

Range

Red-tailed hawks can be found across almost all of North America, from Alaska down through Central America and the Caribbean islands. The only places red-tailed hawks generally aren’t found are in the northern Canadian provinces of Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador. These regions are too far north for red-tailed hawks as the areas are more arctic.

The time of year can affect where red-tail hawks live. While hawks live year-round in the United States and through Mexico, Canada, and Alaska see them primarily during the breeding season and summer. This is because red-tailed hawks are partial migrants, meaning that some birds migrate while others do not. Hawks that live in the northern U.S. and Canada are more likely to migrate and sometimes head south for the winter. Hawks in the continental U.S. and farther south generally stay put all year.

Nesting

Red-tailed hawks are monogamous and often mate with the same partner for years. While you may see hawks in your yard during the year, they probably won’t nest there. Red-tailed hawks prefer to nest in quiet locations away from humans. They usually build nests near the tops of tall trees but will sometimes nest on cliffs or ledges. Their nests are sometimes as high as 120 feet above the ground, often in the crotches of trees that are taller than the surrounding ones. This gives them a good vantage point to scan for threats.

The male and female hawks work together to build their nest. Nests are made of sticks, twigs, bark, and leafy branches, and lined with softer materials. Hawks often reuse nests from year to year, refurbishing them as necessary While you may not see the nest tucked away in the high branches of a tree, you’ll probably hear it if you get too close: females are very territorial and scream loudly to scare off potential threats.

Depending on location, peak nesting season runs from late February to May. Red-tailed hawks have one clutch per year, usually composed of 2-3 eggs. The eggs incubate for 28 days before hatching, and fledglings stay in the nest for up to 45 days before leaving. Once the babies leave the nest, the parents do as well. Outside of the nesting season, hawks typically roost in tall trees with dense foliage for camouflage and protection.