Red-tailed Hawk – Den Rock Park

December 7, 2017 in Red-tailed Hawk

_W7I1722-001Under bright sun and clear skies with west wind just under 10 MPH and temps in low 40’s, spotted this young Red-tailed Hawk on a perch scanning for prey at Den Rock Park. According to Birds of North America online, Red-tailed hawks feed on a wide variety of prey, using their powerful claws as weapons. Eighty to eighty-five percent of their diet consists of small rodents. Mammals as large as eastern cottontail rabbits may also taken. Reptiles and other birds make up the rest of the diet. Male red-winged blackbirds are common prey because they are so visible when guarding their nests. Red-tailed hawks do most of their hunting from a perch. They are not known to store food.