The Red-Tailed Hawk
(Buteo jamaicensis)
The Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is the most common and widespread hawk in North America.
This raptor is a powerful flier that lives in swamps, taigas, deserts, and a variety of biomes.
It is about 19-23 inches long and weighs about 2.5 pounds, with a wingspan of 4 to 4.5 feet .
.It is a carnivore who often catches its prey while flying, killing it with sharp talons. It eats rodents (like mice, muskrats, and squirrels), opossums, moles, weasels, reptiles (like snakes), amphibians, and other birds (like pigeons, quail, crows, ducks, and woodpeckers).
The hawk eats the entire prey, regurgitating inedible parts, like fur, feathers, teeth, and bone.