Buteo regalis
The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) is a majestic raptor, notable as North America's largest Buteo, commanding attention with its powerful build and striking plumage. Averaging 56-69 cm (22-27 in) in length with an impressive wingspan of 133-142 cm (52-56 in) and weighing between 977-2000 grams (2.1-4.4 lbs), adults display a rich rusty-red back and distinctive "ferruginous" (iron-rust colored) leggings or "trousers" that contrast sharply with their pristine white undersides and undertail co...
This hawk thrives in arid and semi-arid open country, favoring vast grasslands, sagebrush steppe, and shrub-desert environments at low to moderate elevations, requiring undisturbed expanses for hunting and nesting.
The diet of the Ferruginous Hawk consists predominantly of small to medium-sized mammals, with prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and jackrabbits being primary prey items. They forage by soaring, hovering, or perch-hunting, often targeting colonial rodents.
Ferruginous Hawks are diurnal predators, primarily active from dawn to dusk, often spending nights roosting on prominent perches or within their nests. Their foraging strategies are diverse; they can hunt from a high soaring flight, execute rapid dives, employ a kestrel-like hovering technique, o...
The Ferruginous Hawk breeds across a vast expanse of western North America, from the Canadian Prairies (southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) south through the Great Plains and Intermontane West of the United States. Breeding occurs in states such as Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Neva...
Least Concern
- The Ferruginous Hawk is the largest North American species of Buteo, a genus of broad-winged hawks. - Despite its size, it can perform an impressive hovering flight, similar to much smaller American Kestrels, while hunting. - Its distinctive rusty-red "trousers" (leggings) are a key field mark,...