Ferruginous Hawk After Snow

by Karen Slagle

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Ferruginous Hawk After Snow

Artist

Karen Slagle

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Description

Saw this large Ferruginous Hawk sitting in the grass as I drove by. It was windy and cold so he was trying to stay warm.

The regal Ferruginous Hawk ranks as the biggest North American member of the genus Buteo, a group of stocky hawks with long, broad wings. It is even noticeably larger than the robust and familiar Red-tailed Hawk. This species is named for the ferruginous, or rusty, color on the wings, back, and legs of light-morph individuals.

Almost an Eagle
The Ferruginous Hawk could easily be mistaken for an eagle. Noted ornithologist Arthur Cleveland Bent evocatively described the Ferruginous Hawk as “the largest, most powerful, and grandest of our buteos, a truly regal bird."

Among this hawk's eagle-like qualities are its large size — about two feet long with an impressive 4.7-foot wingspan. In flight, it rows through the air with slow, strong wing beats or soars with wings held flat or in a V-shaped dihedral similar to a Turkey Vulture's flight profile.

The Ferruginous Hawk also looks more eagle-like than other buteos thanks to its large bill and long, yellow gape, which reaches back as far as the eye. The large gape may increase the bird's efficiency at panting, which enhances temperature regulation and is an important asset for wildlife of hot, wide-open spaces.

Its fully feathered legs are another feature it shares with the Golden Eagle.

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February 6th, 2022

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