Hobbies And Interests
Identification
It can be difficult to identify a red-shouldered hawk as there are similar species, such as the red-tailed hawk. According to G. Gough of the Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, the distinguishing marks -- besides the reddish shoulder patches -- are pale, translucent crescent-shaped markings on the outer edges of the tapered wings. The beak is small and dark, and the eyes are large for the size of the head. Red-shouldered hawks have long, yellow legs and yellow feet. They also have dark bands on their tail feathers that are visible from above and below.
Courtship and Breeding
The hawks make nests out of huge piles of brush, sticks, twigs and leaves. It mates for life following an elaborate courting display. According to Kari Kirschbaum of the Animal Diversity Web, the male performs a sky dance in which he soars up and then dives down repeatedly. The courting couple will wheel about and announce their territorial rights with loud calls. Females can breed when they are a year old. Breeding occurs in spring and early summer, and a typical clutch will be two to four eggs. The eggs are incubated by both parents for about 28 days.
Prey
Red Shoulder hawks eat small mammals such as mice, gophers, squirrels and rabbits. They will also eat snakes, lizards and amphibians, when they are in a marshy area, and small birds. Red-shouldered hawks in southern parts of the United States will also eat crayfish and large insects.
Geographic Range
According to Kirschbaum, Buteo lineatus is native to parts of Southern Canada, the eastern United States, and west of the Sierra Mountains in California. They breed in the northern reaches of its range, then migrate to Mexico for the winter. Those that live in more temperate areas do not migrate.
Conservation Concerns
Buteo lineatus was a common bird of prey prior to 1900, but it was listed as a threatened species in 2009 by the State of Michigan. Logging, pesticides and industrial pollution took a toll on the birds. Kirschbaum cited an American Ornithologist's Union report from 1994 that estimated the expected lifespan in the wild to be 25 1/2 months. In 2011, however, the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species listed the Red-shouldered Hawk as "of least concern." It said the population "appears to be increasing" and is no longer considered vulnerable.