Facts about the ferruginous hawk
By zteve t evans
The Ferruginous (fer-oo-jin-us) hawk is named after the rust (ferrous) colouration on the back and shoulders and legs which are set off by the white underside of the wings, breast and belly.
Not a true hawk
Although its Latin name, Buteo regalis, means Royal hawk it is not a true hawk such as the sparrow hawk. Instead it is one of the broad-tailed hawks also known as buzzards or buteos and shares many similarities to the Rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus) including feathered legs.
With a length ranging between 20-26 inches and a wingspan of 48-60 inches and weighing 2.2-4.5 pounds it is the heaviest and largest of the Buteos of North America and only the Golden eagle, Bald eagle and largest of female Snowy owls of the North American raptors are heavier.
Breeding
In some parts of North America such as Kansas and Colorado breeding commences in from around the middle of March whereas in other parts nesting will not begin until May.
The nest is often built in a lone tree of inside a small copse. Sometimes they are sited on cliff, rocky outcrops, and sometimes man-made sites are used such as haystacks or pylons and strategically placed to look out over hunting grounds. The nest may start out at around 2 feet high and 3 feet in diameter when first built but because it is often used year after year and added to each year it may grow considerably and some have been observed between 12 and 15 feet high.
The female usually lays 3-4 eggs that are whitish and sometimes have brownish splashes. Sometimes they have been known to lay up to six eggs.
The young birds fledge between 38-50 days and males often leave the nest 10 days before females. After fledging the adults continue to feed the juveniles for up to around 40 days until the juveniles are for independence.
Although its Latin name, Buteo regalis, means Royal hawk it is not a true hawk such as the sparrow hawk. Instead it is one of the broad-tailed hawks also known as buzzards or buteos and shares many similarities to the Rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus) including feathered legs.
With a length ranging between 20-26 inches and a wingspan of 48-60 inches and weighing 2.2-4.5 pounds it is the heaviest and largest of the Buteos of North America and only the Golden eagle, Bald eagle and largest of female Snowy owls of the North American raptors are heavier.
Breeding
In some parts of North America such as Kansas and Colorado breeding commences in from around the middle of March whereas in other parts nesting will not begin until May.
The nest is often built in a lone tree of inside a small copse. Sometimes they are sited on cliff, rocky outcrops, and sometimes man-made sites are used such as haystacks or pylons and strategically placed to look out over hunting grounds. The nest may start out at around 2 feet high and 3 feet in diameter when first built but because it is often used year after year and added to each year it may grow considerably and some have been observed between 12 and 15 feet high.
The female usually lays 3-4 eggs that are whitish and sometimes have brownish splashes. Sometimes they have been known to lay up to six eggs.
The young birds fledge between 38-50 days and males often leave the nest 10 days before females. After fledging the adults continue to feed the juveniles for up to around 40 days until the juveniles are for independence.
Diet
Their diet consists of small mammals such as prairie dogs, ground squirrels, rabbits, and hares such are found on the western parts of the prairies of North America. During winter they often seek out and hunt around prairie dog colonies which supply a ready source of food over winter.
Habitat
Ferruginous hawks, sometimes called Ferry hawks for short, spend summer and winter hunting prairies, grasslands, desert regions and other open areas of ground with few trees and shrubs and often in less than semi cultivated regions of western parts of North America.
Threats
The main threat to the Ferruginous hawk is the increase human encroachment of hunting grounds for agriculture and development as well as programmes intended to exterminate their prey such as the Black-tailed prairie dog which was thought to be competing for grazing with cattle.
© 07/10/2013 zteve t evans
Their diet consists of small mammals such as prairie dogs, ground squirrels, rabbits, and hares such are found on the western parts of the prairies of North America. During winter they often seek out and hunt around prairie dog colonies which supply a ready source of food over winter.
Habitat
Ferruginous hawks, sometimes called Ferry hawks for short, spend summer and winter hunting prairies, grasslands, desert regions and other open areas of ground with few trees and shrubs and often in less than semi cultivated regions of western parts of North America.
Threats
The main threat to the Ferruginous hawk is the increase human encroachment of hunting grounds for agriculture and development as well as programmes intended to exterminate their prey such as the Black-tailed prairie dog which was thought to be competing for grazing with cattle.
© 07/10/2013 zteve t evans
References and Attributions
Copyright zteve t evans October 7, 2013
Copyright zteve t evans October 7, 2013
- File:Buteo regalis -California -flying-8-4c.jpg From Wikimedia Commons - Ferruginous Hawk flying near Cambria, San Luis Obispo County, California, USA.- Author: Buteo_regalis_-California_-flying-8.jpg: Alan Vernon derivative work: Snowmanradio (talk) - Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic licence
- File:Ferruginous Hawk RWD3.jpg From Wikimedia Commons - Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) -
- Author: DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licence.
- Ferruginous hawk From Wikipedia
- DesertUSA - Wildlife - Ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis)
- The Cornell Lab of Ornithology - All About Birds - Ferruginous Hawk