Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Also called chicken hawk, redtail.
The default large hawk across most of North America and the one on every roadside pole. The dark belly band on a pale chest identifies it even when the tail is not visible or not yet red.
- Size
- Goose or large raptor — 45–65 cm
- Bill
- Hooked
- Where
- open field, woodland, city
- Season
- year round
What it looks like
Broad-winged and heavy, dark brown above and pale below with a band of dark streaking across the belly. Adults have a brick-red tail seen from above.
The checks that confirm it
- A dark belly band across an otherwise pale chest.
- Broad rounded wings and a short wide tail — a soaring buteo shape.
- Brick-red tail on adults, seen from above or backlit. Young birds have a brown banded tail.
- Perches on poles and posts along open roads.
Voice
A harsh descending scream. This is the sound used for eagles in almost every film ever made.
Confused with
Much slimmer, with short rounded wings and a long banded tail. Hunts through cover rather than soaring.
Slimmer, with bold black-and-white banding across the wings and tail and rusty barring below.
Questions about this bird
How do you identify a red-tailed hawk?
A dark belly band across an otherwise pale chest. Broad rounded wings and a short wide tail — a soaring buteo shape.
What does a red-tailed hawk sound like?
A harsh descending scream. This is the sound used for eagles in almost every film ever made.