What Do Red-tailed Hawks Eat?

Quick Take

• Red-tailed hawks have earned a notorious nickname tied to one surprising item on their menu, and that item is not what most people would expect from a wild raptor. See their surprising menu →
• These hawks will eat something most birds of prey avoid entirely, though only under one specific condition. Explore their full diet →
• A red-tailed hawk's vision gives it an edge no other hunting tool can match, and the numbers behind it are genuinely hard to believe. See the vision stats →
• City living has pushed red-tailed hawks to hunt in ways their wilderness counterparts never do, and the urban prey they target might just surprise you. Discover urban hunting tactics →

Red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are one of the most widely distributed birds of prey in North America, breeding from central Alaska and Northern Canada down through the contiguous United States, to Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. Identified by their reddish-brown tail, red-tailed hawks are often seen hunting from high perches. The average red-tailed hawk measures 18 to 26 inches in length with a broad wingspan between 3.5 and 4.5 feet, and weighs between 1.5 and 3.5 pounds. Females are notably larger and heavier than males. Red-tailed hawks thrive in diverse habitats, including forests, deserts, and cities, where they live among humans as opportunistic predators. Using buildings and light posts as hunting perches, these city hawks prey on pigeons, rats, and squirrels. Highly opportunistic and adaptable predators, red-tailed hawks have a wide and varied diet. Continue reading to discover everything you need to know about what red-tailed hawks eat.

What do Red-tailed Hawks Eat?

Red-tailed hawks eat small mammals, lizards, other birds, and carrion.

All red-tailed hawks are carnivores. As apex predators and raptors, they survive on a diet consisting exclusively of meat, primarily small to medium-sized mammals, reptiles, and birds. Their hunting strategy involves high-acuity vision to spot prey from great heights and powerful talons to kill it. The variety of foods they eat reflects the region in which the bird lives.

Since red-tailed hawks are diurnal, their prey is also active during the day, with squirrels, mice, moles, and rabbits among their preferred foods.

Red-tailed hawks are also known to eat other birds, including chickens. This behavior led to the nickname chickenhawk, a colloquial, unofficial term used in the United States to describe three distinct species of North American hawks: red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks (Astur cooperii), and sharp-shinned hawks (Accipiter striatus).

In tropical ecosystems, red-tailed hawks may supplement their diets with crabs, fish, and amphibians. Red-tailed hawks are highly opportunistic predators, and although their diet consists primarily of small mammals, reptiles, and birds, they will also consume amphibians, crustaceans, and fish, especially if they are easily preyed upon.

As a last resort, red-tailed hawks will eat carrion (the flesh of dead animals) to supplement their diet when live prey is scarce.

What are the Most Common Foods Red-tailed Hawks Eat?

The most common foods red-tailed hawks eat include:

• mice
• ground squirrels
• tree squirrels
• voles
• moles
• snakes
• frogs
• birds (up to the size of a pheasant or a chicken)
• crustaceans
• fish
• bats
• carrion
• small raccoons

Because they are widely distributed, red-tailed hawks have adapted to eat almost anything smaller than themselves, and even some animals that are larger. Red-tailed hawks eat up to 11% of their body weight in food each day, which requires them to hunt frequently.

How do Red-tailed Hawks Hunt?

Red-tailed hawks usually hunt from a perch. A perch is a high spot that allows for greater visibility over a large area. While perched, red-tailed hawks use their incredible vision to spot small movements. Hawks are among the animals with the best eyesight, with visual acuity that is estimated to be two to four times greater than that of a human.

Once they have identified prey, they will leap from their perch and attack from above. Using their razor-sharp talons, they drop onto their prey and hold it in place. They will begin feeding while the animal is still alive.

Where perches aren’t available, red-tailed hawks will soar high in the air over fields, looking for the small movements of their prey.