Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 18.5–20.5 in
47–52 cm - Wingspan
- 52–54.3 in
132–138 cm - Weight
- 25.2–49.4 oz
715–1400 g
Other Names
- Buse pattue (French)
- Ratonero calzado (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The nest of the Rough-legged Hawk sometimes contains the bones of caribou along with sticks.
- The name "Rough-legged" Hawk refers to the feathered legs. The Rough-legged Hawk, the Ferruginous Hawk, and the Golden Eagle are the only American hawks to have legs feathered all the way to the toes.
Habitat
Grassland
Open coniferous forest, tundra and generally barren country, breeding on cliffs or in trees, wintering also in grasslands and open cultivated areas.
Food
Mammals
Small mammals and some birds.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–7 eggs
- Egg Description
- Dingy white blotched with brown.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless and covered with thick down.
Nest Description
Large bowl of sticks on cliff ledge. Lined with grasses, sedges, small twigs, and greenery.
Nest Placement
Cliff
Behavior
Aerial Dive
Hunts from the air or an elevated perch. Frequently hovers.
Conservation
Least Concern
No evidence of any change in North American breeding populations.
Credits
- Bechard, M. J., and T. R. Swem. 2002. Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus). In The Birds of North America, No. 641 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.