Red-Tailed Hawks and Light-Morph Ferruginous Hawks

The Hawks page contains 85 images of Red-Tailed Hawks and Light morph Ferruginous Hawks.
It has both close flight portraits and portraits of perched hawks, and includes a composite image
displaying various plumage morphs of the Red-Tailed Hawk and several flight study composites.

Click an image to open a larger version.
Use your back button to return to this page.

Visit the Raptors Wildlife Study section for additional images of
Eagles, Hawks, Harriers and Owls, Falcons, Kites and Osprey.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Red-Tailed Hawks in Flight

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 5547

A Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk patrols the skies at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

There are several subspecies of the Red-Tailed Hawk with highly variable appearance, but even
within the primary species there are three major variations in plumage and overlapping variations.
These plumage variations are called the Light, Intermediate and Dark morphs, and there are also
Light and Dark Intermediates. Light morph Harlan’s Red-Tailed Hawks can be quite pale. There
are also Rufous phase Red-Tailed Hawks with reddish-brown feathers in light and dark morphs.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 5548

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 5549

Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawks have chocolate brown or reddish-brown feathers on the head, back,
breast, belly, flanks and dark patagial markings (leading edge of the wing) on all underwing coverts.
Primary and secondary feathers (rear of the wing) are pale, and the trailing edge of the wing is dark.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 5561

The brown, slightly mottled and barred upper wing and back feathers of a Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk
over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, showing the brick red upper tail for which this hawk is named.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk XL

A 1500 x 1092 version of the XL Composite image (3000 x 2125).

A composite image showing the upper and lower body and wings of a Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk
over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. Note the dark body, central wing and shoulder.
The upper side tail feathers of Red-Tailed Hawks are brick red, the underside of the tail is red-orange.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 5565

A Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico.
Note the red-orange underside of the broad, fan-shaped tail. Some subspecies of the
Red-Tailed Hawk do not have this red tail (the pale Krider’s Red-Tail has a white tail
with a light red to pink area at the end of the tail, and both light and dark Harlan’s
have a uniform, light tail). Juvenile Red-Tailed Hawks have a light banded tail.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 5566

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 5568

Below are two Flight Study composites of this Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk at Bosque del Apache.

Dark Morph Red-Tail Flight Study XXL

A 1500 x 1000 pixel version of the XXL Flight Study Composite (6000 x 4000)
of a Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, NM.

Dark Morph Red-Tail Flight Study SXL

A 2000 x 500 pixel version of the SXL Flight Study Composite (8000 x 2000)
of a Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk X3974

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk X3976

A Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk circling over the Farm Fields at Bosque del Apache.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk X3980

Note the nearly uniform dark brown body, head and underwing coverts of the Dark morph Red-Tail.
Primary and secondary feathers are pale and barred, with a dark band at the wingtips and trailing edges.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk X3979

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk X3983

Red-Tailed Hawks primarily eat small mammals such as mice and squirrels, but
they also eat rabbits, gophers, pigeons and other birds, reptiles, fish and insects.
They hunt using two different techniques: from a perch and scanning from the air.

In perch hunting, the hawk scans for prey from an elevated perch such as a
utility pole or a tree, swooping down from the perch to capture its marked prey.
They also scan for prey while soaring overhead at great height, snatching a bird in
flight or chasing down prey spotted from the air, pinning it in their sharp talons.
Red-Tailed Hawks have been observed hunting in pairs, soaring together or
staking out two sides of a tree, one flushing a squirrel towards the other.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk X6645

A Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk scans for prey over the fields of Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk X6648

A Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk beginning a dive at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Red-Tailed Hawk Morphs M

A larger-than-normal (1800 x 1200) preview of the SXXL (6900 x 4600) composite which
shows images of various Red-Tailed Hawk morphs with legends identifying the variations.

Red-Tailed Hawks have three variations (or morphs), the Light, Intermediate and Dark morphs.
The differences in the morphs are based upon the belly, shoulder and central wing markings and
the body color. Light and Intermediate morphs have buff to orange dark-streaked bodies and
a dark patch at the shoulder. The body streaks on the Light morph can be very light, and the
shoulder markings can be narrower. The Dark morph has a dark body and central wing.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Red-Tailed Hawk X9047

Red-Tailed Hawk 1948

Intermediate morph Red-Tailed Hawks in the skies over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.
Notice the dark belly bands and deep patagial markings at the leading edge of the wings.

Light and Intermediate morph Red-Tailed Hawks have a tan-orange to buff body with a light to dark reddish brown
belly band and dark underwing coverts at the leading edge of the wing (darker and broader in Intermediate morphs).

Red-Tailed Hawk 5639 M

An Intermediate morph Red-Tailed Hawk soaring over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

One of three hawk species known as Chicken Hawks, the Red-Tailed Hawk prefers hunting in open areas
such as fields or desert and perches in trees or other high places from which they can keep watch for prey.
Red-Tails occupy a variety of habitats from desert and grasslands to forest edges, fields and urban areas.

All of the landscape (horizontal) large version images linked from the thumbnails are 1500 pixels wide.
Portrait (vertical) images are 1200 pixels tall (1290 pixels with title bar). Images designated with an “M”
in the shot number are 5:4 aspect ratio, 1500 x 1290 with a title bar, or 1500 x 1200 without a title bar.

Red-Tailed Hawk 5634

Red-Tailed Hawk 5638

An Intermediate morph Red-Tailed Hawk in a soaring turn over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Red-Tailed Hawks are one of the largest in the genus Buteo, known as the soaring hawks.
They are the most commonly seen hawks, and are generally soaring at a significant height.
As with most raptors, the females are larger than the males, averaging about 25% heavier.

Red-Tailed Hawk Flight Study XL

A 2000 x 589 pixel version of the XL Flight Study Composite (4500 x 1325)
of an Intermediate Red-Tailed Hawk over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Red-Tailed Hawks weigh from 2 to 4 pounds (averaging 2.25 pounds) and are generally
18” to 25” long with a wingspan of 41” to 56”. They have relatively broad 7.5” to 10” tails.
They are a heavily-built hawk with a brown-streaked belly band on a light underside in
the Light and Intermediate morphs, a cinnamon brown head which appears small in
comparison to the body size, a short, dark curved bill with light gray to yellow cere
and gap skin (skin at the base of the bill and edge of the mouth) and yellow legs.
Their talons are exceedingly sharp. Juveniles have yellow eyes which darken to
an amber color with age. The tail of the primary species is brick red on top and
red-orange on the underside. Juveniles have a light tail with dark horizontal bars.

Red-Tailed Hawk X3336

A Light-Intermediate morph Red-Tailed Hawk soaring over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.
Note the shallower patagial markings at the leading edge of the wing and the sparser belly band.

I called this individual Pale Tail for obvious reasons (not to be confused with Pale Male, see below).

Red-Tailed Hawk X3337

The Red-Tailed Hawk has spread to an extremely diverse range of habitats in an unusual adaptation to the
pattern of human development of the country. The clearing of forests in the Northwest created hunting areas
which the hawks took advantage of, and the preservation of wood lots and the planting of new trees created
nesting sites near these new hunting areas. Highways with open median areas, road signs and utility poles
created perches and open areas for perch hunting, and the fact that the hawks are not bothered by human
activity allows them to nest and live in areas where there are large numbers of humans, such as in cities
where pigeons and rats can be found to supplement their diet. The most famous Red-Tailed Hawk in
history was a good example: Pale Male became the first Red-Tailed Hawk to successfully nest and
raise his young in New York City’s Manhattan Borough. Click the link for the story of Pale Male.

More Red-Tailed Hawks in flight including the rare Harlan’s Red-Tail
and both Dark and Intermediate Rufous morph Red-Tailed Hawks
are displayed in the Hawks section of the Raptors Wildlife Study.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Red-Tailed Hawk Portraits

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 4245c

A perched Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk overlooks a field at
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 4252

A Dark morph Red-Tailed Hawk at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk 4258

Juvenile Dark Morph Red-Tail X3966

A molting juvenile Dark Morph Red-Tailed Hawk on the left and a younger juvenile on the right.
Note the mottled feathers on the back and wings. A Light morph juvenile Red-Tail is shown below.

Light Juvenile Red-Tail 1892

A juvenile Light morph Red-Tailed Hawk at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.
Juveniles display a strongly mottled appearance, with white patches on the back
and wings, and a mottled breast which can be seen in the frontal portrait below.

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3730 M

A 1000 x 1590 pixel frontal profile portrait of a Light morph juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk
taken at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge. More portraits of this bird are further below.

Light Juvenile Red-Tail 1898c

Light Juvenile Red-Tail 1896c

Two more profile portraits of a juvenile Light morph Red-Tailed Hawk at Bosque del Apache.

Light Juvenile Red-Tail HS0882 M

Light Juvenile Red-Tail HS0883 M

When watching Raptors, often the best indicator that they are going to fly is when they
‘lighten the load’ or ‘vent’ (the two most popular euphemisms for letting fly before they fly).
The bird raises its wings and hunches its back, looking over its shoulder at the target area,
then releases a liquid stream as shown in the two images above. This is a good time to
re-frame from your portrait composition to get takeoff shots without cutting off a wing.

Light Juvenile Red-Tail HS0906 M

The same juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk a short time later, after it had landed on a new perch.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3701

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3705

Close frontal portraits of a juvenile Light morph Red-Tailed Hawk at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3724

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3716

Juvenile Red-Tails become independent from their parents at about 4 months of age.
They retain the juvenile plumage and barred tail until they molt at the end of their second year.

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3715

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3735

Juvenile Red-Tailed Hawks have a noticeably less stocky body shape than adults
and narrower wings and tail. Their eyes are yellow, and darken to amber as they age.

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3744

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3748

Most juveniles do not catch their own food until about 6-7 weeks after leaving the nest.
Some continue association with their parents for up to six months after leaving the nest.
At right above is a juvenile Light morph Red-Tailed Hawk in an introspective mood.

Light Juvenile Red-Tail X3738 M

A 1000 x 1590 pixel frontal portrait of a juvenile Light morph Red-Tailed Hawk.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Red-Tailed Hawk 6080

A Red-Tailed Hawk perched in a tree overlooking the Farm Loop at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Red-Tailed Hawk 6082 M

Red-Tailed Hawk 6090 M

In perch hunting, the hawk scans for prey from an elevated perch such as a
utility pole or a tree, swooping down from the perch to capture its marked prey.

Red-Tailed Hawk 6086c

A Red-Tailed Hawk fluffs its feathers to ward off the winter cold at Bosque del Apache.

Red-Tailed Hawk 5002 M

A 1000 x 1590 pixel rear profile portrait of a perched Red-Tailed Hawk.
Note that the wingtips of the perched hawk nearly reach the tip of the tail.

Red-Tailed Hawk 5004

Red-Tailed Hawk 5006

Following are several rear profile portraits of a perched Red-Tailed Hawk at Bosque del Apache.

The 5000-series images were all taken in mid-December at 850mm from significant distance.
6000-series images were taken the following day at 700mm from a somewhat closer distance.
The 9000-series images below were taken at 700mm in late December of the following year.

Red-Tailed Hawk X9056 M

A Red-Tailed Hawk perched over the Farm Loop at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico.

Red-Tailed Hawk X9066

Red-Tailed Hawk X9068

Rear profile portraits of a Red-Tailed Hawk scanning for prey at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico.
Red-Tailed Hawks have superb eyesight, and can discern prey as small as a mouse at 100 feet.

Red-Tailed Hawk X9073 M

Red-Tailed Hawk X9080 M

Red-Tailed Hawk X9082 M

A 1000 x 1590 pixel rear portrait of a perched Red-Tailed Hawk.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Light morph Ferruginous Hawk

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 3421

A Light morph Ferruginous Hawk patrols the skies over Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 3437 M

The Ferruginous Hawk is the largest of the Buteo hawks (the same genus as the Red-Tailed Hawk), and
along with the Rough-Legged Hawk is one of only two hawks whose legs are feathered down to the talons.
There are both Light and Dark morphs (the dark morph is dark brown, with light areas on the wings and tail).
The Light morph are more common, and are buff to white on the undersides with rust-red streaks, with pale
head and neck and the rufous back and wing feathers for which this hawk is named. Ferruginous means
resembling iron rust in appearance or color, and is derived from ferrous (relating to or containing iron).

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 4156 M

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 4159c M

A Light morph Ferruginous Hawk on watch beside the Flight Deck at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5912 M

As is typical with Raptors, the female Ferruginous Hawk is larger than the male. Their plumage is similar.
These are hunters of the arid prairies and grasslands of the North American interior, and prefer open areas.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5929 M

The reddish-brown feathers on the back and wings give the Ferruginous Hawk its name.
The Ferruginous Hawk hunts for small mammals like squirrels, prairie dogs and rabbits.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5943 M

Ferruginous Hawk have the largest wingspan of any North American hawk (48-60” with an average of 56”).
They use these large wings to hover and soar in circular patterns over open areas, looking for their prey.
They also hunt from the ground, waiting near burrow entrances for ground squirrels and prairie dogs.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5946

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5951

The cere (structure at the base of the bill) and feet are bright yellow.
The bill is dark gray, with a black tip and the eyes are a dark amber.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5946c

The Ferruginous Hawk has a huge mouth which allows it to swallow
large rodents like ground squirrels or even small prairie dogs whole.
The yellow gape skin (at the edge of the mouth) extends below the eye.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5955 M

A Light morph Ferruginous Hawk perched in a tree at the edge of the Farm Loop at Bosque del Apache.
In the winter, when squirrels and other rodents are less active, the Ferruginous Hawk preys on other birds.
The hawk watches the flight of each bird which enters the area to see if it flies away or if it perches nearby.
If the bird perches, the hawk marks the area and begins a fast, low, nap of the earth approach, keeping
itself hidden from its prey. Using its sharp vision to adjustment its path, the hawk strikes by surprise.

Ferruginous Hawk Skimming Approach 2442

Rather than using the typical diving attack from high above which is preferred by other hawks,
the Ferruginous Hawk prefers to mark its prey from above, then make a low skimming approach.
This unfortunately back-focused image of a hunting approach was taken at great distance (850mm).
The hawk was flying very fast and low, and my focus slipped to the grass a few feet beyond the bird.
Normally, I do not use a shot like this, but it is the only shot I have of a skimming hunting approach.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5973 M

A Light morph Ferruginous Hawk strikes a regal pose at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.
The Latin species name for this hawk is Buteo regalis (of or pertaining to a king), the Royal Hawk.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5990

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6001

Close frontal portraits of a perched Light morph Ferruginous Hawk.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 5981 M

A 1200 x 1590 M-sized frontal portrait of a Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6116

A Light morph Ferruginous Hawk poses while scanning the fields at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6119 M

Profile portraits of a Light morph Ferruginous Hawk at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6121c M

A 1200 x 1590 M-sized profile portrait of a Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk.

Following are several distant and close frontal portraits taken at Bosque del Apache.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6130 M

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6131 M

All of the images of the Ferruginous Hawk were taken at a fairly long distance.
For all except the two above which were taken at 500mm, an 850mm lens was used.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6136

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6142

The exposures of the backlit bird were all quite challenging, as you want to reveal the shaded detail
without overexposing the pale bird and the sky, and minimize overexposure of the brightly lit feathers.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6144 M

A Light morph Ferruginous Hawk poses while scanning the fields at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk 6147 M

A 1500 x 1290 image of a Light morph Ferruginous Hawk at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk XL

A 1500 x 1025 version of the XL Composite image (3205 x 2125).

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

Direct Links:

Eagles Red-Tailed Hawks Assorted Hawks

Owl and Harrier Falcons & Kites

Click the Display Composite above to return to the Bosque del Apache Raptors Overview

Click the Display Composite above to return to the Bosque del Apache Index page