Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure

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Fast Facts:

Buteo is Latin for hawk.
Jamaicensis refers to its range from Alaska to Jamaica

Red-tailed Hawk

Scientific Name	Buteo jamaicensis
Classification	Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Order: Falconiformes, Family: Accipitridae
Status	Stable
Range	Throughout North America and into Central America
Habitat	Large wood lots next to open fields
Diet	Small rodents, reptiles, and other birds
Size	19-24 inches with females being 25% larger than the males
Lifespan	10-21 years in the wild
Location
Print Fact Sheet	Red-tailed Hawk

Special Features

• Can spot a mouse from 100 feet.
• Their eyesight is 8 times better than humans.

Social Structure & Behavior

Red tailed hawks reach sexual maturity at three years old. They mate for life and nests are often used year after year. 1-5 eggs are laid each season.