Red-tailed Hawk

The red-tailed hawk is one of the most common and widespread birds of prey in North America, found from Alaska and Canada south through the United States into Central America, adapted to habitats ranging from open plains and deserts to forests and cities. It is a member of the buteo, or soaring hawk, group, identified in most adults by a reddish-brown tail visible when the bird soars or perches, though plumage varies considerably across its many regional forms. Red-tailed hawks hunt mainly small mammals such as rodents and rabbits, typically watching from a high perch such as a roadside pole or tree before diving to seize prey, and their piercing scream is so recognizable that it is frequently used in film and television as a generic sound for any bird of prey, including eagles. The species is common and adaptable, with a large, stable population across nearly all of North America.