Ferruginous Hawk Identification

Large buteo with broad wings that are pointed at the tips. In flight the head appears rather large. Light morph birds have white belly with rusty feathered legs that form a V above the white tail.

Usually found alone or in pairs in open-country where they often perch on power poles.

Flies on broad wings with narrow tips. From above note white streaks in primaries, pale tail, chestnut back, and big-headed look.

Flies with stiff, shallow wingbeats. Light morphs are very pale below with chestnut back and pale head.

Soars on broad wings often held in a slight dihedral with its head held down.

The rarer dark morph has a chestnut belly and inner wing linings. The tail and flight feathers are white.

Young stay in the nest for 38–50 days before fledging.

A small percent of the population is dark brown to chestnut above and below with a white tail. In flight, primaries and secondaries are also white. Note feathered legs.

Light morph birds are very pale below.

Often seen on the ground where it hunts gophers, ground squirrels, and rabbits in grassland, prairie, sagebrush steppe, scrubland, and pinyon-juniper woodland edges in western North America.