A Red-tailed hawk gives away his appearance by his name. These birds are distinguishable by their pale cinnamon color. The rest of their body, however, is a rich brown color that dissolves into the black tip of their feathers. Meanwhile, if you look at this bird from below, you'll see a streaked color pattern that’s mostly pale, and his below outline has the same color as his above. As the second-largest Buteo hawk in North America, these birds love the open country. You’ll find them perched on fence posts, telephone poles, and along with the fields like a watchful statue. They live about 10-15 years, feeding on small mammals, reptiles, and birds.

These hawks have a hunting style much different from the falcon’s stoop. Red-tailed hawks hunt with peace of mind. They usually move in circles in the air, occasionally flapping a heavy wing with never blinking eyes that endlessly watch the ground. When attacking time comes, they stretch their legs and make a slow and controlled dive.

You can find these hawks throughout most parts of North America. They can be anywhere as far north as northern Canada and Alaska, or as far south as the West Indies and Panama.