(Buteo jamaicensis)
Habitat:
The red-tailed hawks' species inhabit a vast range of habitats spanning all over the world. The places in which the red tailed hawks inhabit are most likely desert, or mountain areas. The red tailed hawk usually builds its nests in forest.
Physical features:
The size of a red tailed hawk is 48 to 60 centimeters. The wingspan of the hawk is 4 feet. Usually the females are 25% larger than males. This kind of gender difference, where usually female birds of prey are larger than the male, is common for most birds of prey. Feathers of the red-tailed hawk differ from light brown to deep brown. The underbelly feathers are lighter than the rest of the birds' body. the underbelly also has a dark band across it. The tender skin at the bottom of the beak and the legs and the feet are yellow. The tail is red, and the red-tailed hawks get their name from this trait.
Life span/Longevity:
Red-tailed hawks are extremely long-standing birds. While many of these birds die young, those that survive the first few years can live for many years. The oldest known wild red-tailed hawk lived to at least 21.5 years old. In captivity, red-tailed hawks have lived for at least 29.5 years.
Feeding Habits:
Red-tailed hawks feed on a myriad of animals,they use their powerful claws as weapons. Eighty percent of their diet is of small rodents. Reptiles and other birds are the rest of the diet. Male red-winged blackbirds are common prey because they are so visible when guarding their nests. Red-tailed hawks do most of their hunting from a perch. They are not known to store food.