Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed Hawks nest in conspicuous locations around the countryside. Sometimes nests are situated in a lone tree amid rows of corn, soybeans and pasture lands, or in urban areas where small mammals are numerous. Usually, however, nest sites are associated with fragmented rural forests and can be well hidden within the protective canopy of a woodlot or forest edge. The highly-visible rusty-red tail feathers cannot be confused with those of any other species in the state. Great Horned Owls, which do not build a structured nest in trees, frequently usurp nests of Red-tailed Hawks (Ehrlich et al. 1988).

Code Frequency

Due to their conspicuousness, Red-tailed Hawks were likely recorded by Atlasers wherever they occurred. Where not recorded, therefore, they probably were absent or in low numbers. While most reports concerned possible and probable sightings, 115 nests were located. The use of the UN code may have been erroneous. Because Red-tailed Hawks' nests may last for several years, these nests may not have been used during the 1986-92 survey period.

Distribution

Red-tailed Hawks were found statewide with only scattered records for the Mississippi Lowlands. Also, slightly fewer birds were located in Shannon, Carter and Reynolds counties where the landscape approaches continuous forest, a habitat less frequented by this species. Most confirmed observations occurred in the open western one-third of the state and parts of the Ozark Border Natural Division. The apparent scarcity of records in the north central Glaciated Plains is puzzling.

Abundance

The relative abundance in the Osage Plains was highest for the state at 5.7 birds per 100 stops followed by the Ozark region at 2.3 birds per 100 stops. This difference could result from the difficulty of observation in forested Ozark roadside areas, or this species may frequent more open habitats than are generally available in the Ozark and Ozark Border natural divisions.

Phenology

Atlas Project observations span more than enough time for a second brood, although Ehrlich et al. (1988) question this possibility.

Breeding Evidence

Reported in 945 (78.3%) of 1,207 blocks

Home|Lists of Illustrations and Tables|Preface|Acknowledgments|Introduction|The Natural Divisions of Missouri|Guide to Species Accounts|Index of Bird Accounts|Appendix A.|Appendix B.|Appendix C.|Appendix D.|Appendix E.|Literature Cited