The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is one of the most common and widely recognized birds of prey in North America, and Arizona offers a prime habitat for these majestic raptors. With its vast deserts, open grasslands, and rugged mountains, the state provides an ideal environment for Red-tailed Hawks to hunt, nest, and soar.
Easily identified by their broad wings, short tails, and signature rusty-red tail feathers, Red-tailed Hawks are a familiar sight in Arizona’s skies. They can often be seen perched on telephone poles or circling high overhead, using their keen vision to scan the ground for prey. Their diet primarily consists of small mammals like rabbits and rodents, but they’ll also eat reptiles and birds when available.
Red-tailed hawks are year-round residents in Arizona, though some northern populations may migrate south for the winter. They typically build their nests in tall trees, cliffs, or even on man-made structures, returning to the same nesting sites year after year.
These raptors play an important ecological role by helping to control rodent populations, and they are also protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In Native American cultures, the red-tailed hawk is often seen as a symbol of vision and strength.
I recently watched a Red-tailed Hawk bathing in Rose Lake on Mount Lemmon. Although I was able to get some good bathing shots, I missed a great opportunity when the bird flew towards me and over my right shoulder. I was checking my camera settings and missed the shot!
