Look at that big eye
The Red-Tailed Hawk seem to be the most common hawk in our area. You can often see them
sitting on the top of utility poles along the highway. Their call is the one they use in movies for any kind of bird of
prey. There bright orange tail makes them easy to identify.
Male Red-tailed hawks may weigh from 1.5 to 3 pounds and measure 18 to 22 in while females can weigh between 2 and 4
pounds and measure 20 to 26 inches in length. The wingspan is from 43 to 57 inches
The young chicks are so ugly that they are cute. In case you are wondering I did not
climb a tree or a pole to get these photos. Both the nests were up at least 50 feet in the trees so I used my 400mm
lens. I was actually quite surprised at how well they turned out. I have been watching these nests since early in the
year. They are both down on Bear Valley Road not to far from Hornitos.
Nests are located from 35 to 75 feet high in the forks of large trees. The nest is large,
flat, shallow and made of sticks and twigs about 1/2 inch in diameter. Both males and females assist in nest
construction. Nest sites may be used from year to year, since there is strong evidence that hawks mate for life. If the
old nest is wind damaged, layers of new nesting material are added each year.
The female usually lays 2 dull-white to bluish-white eggs that are marked with a variety of irregular reddish spots and splotches. Incubation takes 28-32 days and is maintained almost entirely by the female. During this period the male hunts for both of them, bringing her food to the nest.
When hatched, the young are covered with white down. They grow slowly and require much food, which keeps both parents busy. They remain in the nest for up to 48 days. During the last 10 days or so the young, which now appear as large as the parent birds, practice flapping their wings and balancing in the wind on the edge of the nest, preparing for the days when they will launch themselves into the air.
The young fledge at about 45 days. Red-tails typically do not begin breeding until their third year.
The female usually lays 2 dull-white to bluish-white eggs that are marked with a variety of irregular reddish spots and splotches. Incubation takes 28-32 days and is maintained almost entirely by the female. During this period the male hunts for both of them, bringing her food to the nest.
When hatched, the young are covered with white down. They grow slowly and require much food, which keeps both parents busy. They remain in the nest for up to 48 days. During the last 10 days or so the young, which now appear as large as the parent birds, practice flapping their wings and balancing in the wind on the edge of the nest, preparing for the days when they will launch themselves into the air.
The young fledge at about 45 days. Red-tails typically do not begin breeding until their third year.
