Red-Tailed Hawk

Scientific Name: Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed hawks play an important role in local ecosystems by helping to control the rodent and rabbit populations.

  • Size:
    • Weight: 1.5 to 3.5 pounds
    • Length: 19 to 25 inches
    • Wingspan: 43 to 57 inches
  • Diet: Small mammals including mice, lemming, and voles; small birds and reptiles
  • Habitat: Open woodlands, shrubby fields and urban areas
  • Range in the Wild: Western Alaska and northern Canada south into Panama

Conservation Status

Listed as Least Concern

Red Tailed Hawk

Photo by Mark Rose