Red Tail Hawk
Description: The red-tailed hawk makes a striking appearance with its large, stocky body and mottled brown feathers. The adult’s breast appears white with a brown belly band that looks like a wide belt. Its rust-colored tail, broad and short, distinguishes it from the smaller red-shouldered hawk. Red-tailed hawks grow to about 18 to 25 inches in length and have powerful legs and wings that span 48 inches as they soar. Its hunting adaptations are formidable: a short, hooked bill that tears flesh; long, sharp claws that grasp prey and sometimes kill it. The female’s plumage is identical to the male’s, but she grows about 3 inches larger.
Average Size: Length: 18 to 25 in.
Food: Rodents make up majority of diet. It also eats reptiles, amphibians, insects and fish, but rarely poultry.
Range Map: Found statewide