Common Name: Ferruginous Hawk

Scientific Name: Buteo regalis
(Buteo is Latin for hawk or falcon, regalis is
Latin for royal, 'ferruginous' comes from the Latin ferrugo meaning ‘rust').

Size: Length: 18-23in Wingspan: 48-56in
         Weight: Female: 1231g (average) (2.7lb)
                      Male: 1059g (average) (2.3lb)  
                      Range: 970-2074g (~2.1-4.6lb)

Lifespan: In the wild life expectancy is typically 15-20, in captivity they can live up to 30 years, maybe more.

ID: Ferruginous Hawks have feathered tarsi (feathers all the way down the legs to the toes) and a huge mouth (wide gapes). In flight they are a big, white bird. Adults have a pink tail when it is backlit by sunlight. The legs in the adult make a large dark (rufous) V in flight.
There are two different “morphs” for this species: light and dark. The dark ones make up less than ten percent of the total population. Juveniles and adults of this type have dark bodies and white feathers on the undersides of their wings. Juvenile light morphs have dark wingtips, light undersides, and dark tops. Adult light morphs have light underbellies and wings, dark patterns on top of their wings, and a light red color on their backs and part of their ‘shoulders.’

Hunting: Ferruginous Hawks use perches, as well as soaring and hovering, to spot potential prey.  They have been known to hunt cooperatively.

Prey: They eat mammals, including squirrels, jack rabbits, prairie dogs, and pocket gophers.

Breeding: They are versatile nesters and will build stick nests in trees, rocks, or on the ground, though they tend to favor higher locations over lower ones. Clutches of 3 to 4 eggs are laid between February and July, which both adults incubate. The eggs hatch after 28 to 32 days, and the young fledge 38 to 50 days after hatching. They tend to remain with their parents for several weeks before leaving on their own.

Range: Ferruginous Hawks prefer to nest in the more northern latitudes of North America and make a partial migration to the southern and mid parts of the United States in the winter. 

Status: Ferruginous Hawks were listed as a species “of conservation concern” in California in 2002.