Ferruginous Hawk

Ferruginous Hawks are large, broad-chested raptors with relatively long wings, a large head, and feathering that extends down the legs to the toes. Light-morph birds have a pale head and predominantly white underparts, with rusty coloring on the back, shoulders, and legs. Younger light-morph birds may show varying amounts of brown spotting across the belly and legs. The less common dark morph is predominantly deep reddish-brown or chocolate-colored. When seen in flight, light-morph birds typically show a pale tail, white underparts, and rusty leg feathers forming a V-shaped pattern.

Ferruginous Hawks inhabit western North America. Their range includes the Great Plains, western United States, portions of western Canada, and northern Mexico. Many are short-distance migrants, moving southward from northern breeding areas during winter, while some birds in the southern part of the range remain throughout the year.

This species lives in open, relatively dry country, including native prairie, shortgrass plains, rangeland, sagebrush steppe, desert scrub, saltbush flats, and the edges of pinyon-juniper woodland. Utility poles, isolated trees, rock outcrops, and even the ground provide hunting and resting perches.

Ferruginous Hawks primarily eat small and medium-sized mammals. Important prey includes prairie dogs, ground squirrels, pocket gophers, jackrabbits, and cottontails. They occasionally take birds, reptiles, amphibians, and large insects. They hunt from elevated perches, while soaring or flying low, and sometimes by waiting on the ground near an active mammal burrow.