![]() ![]() One thing these habitats have in common, aside from varied prey, is the existence of prominent perches. It haunts arid, open country, including short-grass prairie, sagebrush, deserts with short vegetation, and nearby agricultural areas. The Ferruginous Hawk occurs only in North America, from southwestern Canada through the western United States and into northern Mexico. Accessible at Audio of Red-tailed Hawk by Lauri Hallikainen, XC233241. (Audio of Ferruginous Hawk by Andrew Spencer, XC77780. See what you think by comparing these two recordings: Even this big hawk's call is eagle-like, weak and somewhat wavering. Its fully feathered legs are another feature it shares with the Golden Eagle. The large gape may increase the bird's efficiency at panting, which enhances temperature regulation and is an important asset for wildlife of hot, wide-open spaces. The Ferruginous Hawk also looks more eagle-like than other buteos thanks to its large bill and long, yellow gape, which reaches back as far as the eye. In flight, it rows through the air with slow, strong wing beats or soars with wings held flat or in a V-shaped dihedral similar to a Turkey Vulture's flight profile. Noted ornithologist Arthur Cleveland Bent evocatively described the Ferruginous Hawk as “the largest, most powerful, and grandest of our buteos, a truly regal bird."Īmong this hawk's eagle-like qualities are its large size - about two feet long with an impressive 4.7-foot wingspan. The Ferruginous Hawk could easily be mistaken for an eagle. This species is named for the ferruginous, or rusty, color on the wings, back, and legs of light-morph individuals. It is even noticeably larger than the robust and familiar Red-tailed Hawk. The regal Ferruginous Hawk ranks as the biggest North American member of the genus Buteo, a group of stocky hawks with long, broad wings. ![]()
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