Red-Tailed Hawk (Buted jamaicensis)

Born: 1995

Gender: Female

Acquired: May 30, 1997

From: Springbrook Nature Center, Itasca IL

Disability: Hit by car; missing right eye; dis-located right wing

The Red-Tailed Hawk is the most common and widespread hawk in North America, found in open country, woodlands, prairie groves, mountains, plains, farmlands, and roadsides. These hawks perch on tree limbs, telephone poles, or other high structures to look for prey. When they see a prey animal, they drop down on it from above. They can spot a mouse from a height of 100 feet.

The raspy cry of the Red-Tailed Hawk is typically used in movies to represent any eagle or hawk anywhere in the world.

Males and females perform a courtship ritual in which they dive and roll in the sky. They will even lock talons and fall together a distance before splitting apart.

Although the eggs and young birds are vulnerable, adult Red-Tailed Hawks have very few predators. The life expectancy of the Red-Tailed Hawk is 10 to 15 years in the wild, and 20 to 23 years in captivity.