Red-Tailed Hawks

Red-tailed hawks are the most common hawks in North America. They are easy to identify by their reddish-brown tail feathers. You can often see them soaring high in the sky on wide, rounded wings. Red-tailed hawks are found across the continent from Alaska to Mexico.

Soaring Hunters

Red-tailed hawks ride rising air currents called thermals to soar without flapping their wings. From high up, they scan the ground for prey with their sharp eyes. When they spot a mouse or rabbit, they dive down feet first. Their eyesight is about eight times better than a human's.

The Famous Scream

The red-tailed hawk has a loud, raspy scream that is one of the most recognizable bird sounds. It is so dramatic that movies often use it as the sound for bald eagles. When you hear an eagle screech in a movie, it is usually a red-tailed hawk sound instead!

Fun Facts

• The red-tailed hawk's scream is often used as the sound effect for eagles in movies.
• Red-tailed hawks can spot a mouse from 100 feet in the air.
• They mate for life and often return to the same nesting area each year.

Did You Know?

Almost every time you hear an eagle scream in a movie, you are actually hearing a red-tailed hawk! Bald eagles have a much weaker, chirping call that does not sound very fierce.