Ferruginous Hawk

By Crysania

Names: The scientific name is Buteo regalis

Status: Where they used to cover much of the lower Canadian regions and upper American states, they now reside in about half that space. Right along the border, the highest density is in the Canadian providence of Alberta, where over half of the remaining 1,300 ferruginous hawks live.

Habitat: Uncultivated pastures on the prairies and arid grasslands of western North America.

Appearance: Its the largest hawk in North America. They are heavy, thick-set birds with broad powerful wings. Adult females may be up to one-and-a-half times larger than the males. They are rusty brown on their shoulders, back, rump and legs.

Food: Gophers make up nearly 90% of their diet. They may also eat voles, mice and white-tailed jack rabbits.

Breeding: This species builds big, bulky nests in isolated trees, on rocky ledges or occasionally on the ground. A breeding pair may have up to five nests in their territory but use only one each year. The female lays three to five eggs and incubates them for about a month. The eggs hatch around the time young gophers become active above the ground. They live up to 15 to 20 years in the wild.

Risk Factors: Habitat loss is the major problem affecting ferruginous hawks. Cultivation, settlement and resource exploration have reduced prairie grasslands and gopher populations. Without sufficient food, the hawks won't establish a nest. This species is also easily disturbed by human activity, particularly during the nesting period.

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