(LAUNCHING SUMMER 2026) AUBURN HILLS GEOCACHING CHALLENGE DECORDER
Hawks are one type of Raptor, or bird of prey. They hunt for food using their sharp ________ instead of their beak to catch prey.
Fun Fact: The cry of the Red Tailed Hawk is a two to three second hoarse, rasping scream, described as kree-eee-ar, that begins at a high pitch and slurs downward. It’s distinct call is often used as an eagle screech in popular media, even though eagles make a series of high-pitched whistling or piping notes.
Common Name: Red Tailed Hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo jamaicensis
Size: Males measure 18 to 24 in in length; females measure 19 to 26 in in length
Range, Habitat, & Physical Description
The Red-tailed hawk is one of the most common hawks in North America, so common you’ve probably seen one driving to work or to this park. It’s found in Alaska all the way down to the Caribbean and lives in a range of habitats including deserts, forests, grasslands, agricultural fields, and even urban areas. It’s a relatively large brown and white hawk which can be distinguished by its signature brick-red tail with an orange underside.
Behaviors, Lifestyle & Diet
Red tailed hawks mainly feed on rodents but will opportunistically hunt birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, bats, insects, and other small mammals. They mate for life, and use the same nesting area every year if it has not been co-opted by Great horned owls (which share many similarities in range, nesting preferences, and diet).
Relationship With Humans & How YOU Can Help Them
Red Tailed Hawk feathers are sacred in many Native American religions, and are often used in religious ceremonies and regalia. Interestingly, their wide distribution may be in part due to human activity. Settlers cleared large fields while preserving large woodlots which provided the hawks with large hunting areas and good nesting sites. Westward expansion brought trees into the plains, allowing the hawks to expand their range. The construction of highways with utility poles alongside treeless medians provided perfect habitat for perch-hunting. You can help Red-tailed hawks by NOT using rat poison as they will eat poisoned rodents and can become ill or even die. Using other methods of rodent deterrent will have a great positive impact on the Red-Tailed Hawks!