Adult light morphs have a dark brown head, back, and upperwing coverts. Dark morphs, which are common in the American West, are rare in the eastern United States. Compared with adults, juveniles have narrower wings and longer tails that are brownish with seven to nine dark brown bands of equal width. Adults typically have a reddish or rufous tail with a narrow, dark band at the tip. The tail, which can be solid rufous, or is banded brown, is sometimes streaked or spotted. Individual redtails range from brown to black on their upperparts, and white to black underneath. Distinct differences exist between age groups, and among color morphs, and races. The species varies in plumage across its range. When soaring, redtails typically hold their wings in a slight dihedral or shallow “V.” In North America, the redtail together with the Ferruginous Hawk and the Rough-legged Hawk, are the only buteos that regularly “kite” while facing into the wind with their wings set. The Red-tailed Hawk’s round-tipped wings and bulging secondary feathers make the species appear “muscular” in flight. It has a chunky body, broad wings, and a tail that is often spread or fanned in flight. The Red-tailed Hawk, one of the largest open-habitat raptors in North America, exemplifies the classic “buteo” configuration. The Red-tailed Hawk’s propensity to perch in the open made it particularly vulnerable to persecution. As recently as the middle of the 20th Century, the species was blamed for losses of poultry and was labeled the “chicken hawk.” As a result, redtails were commonly shot. Red-tailed Hawks also have benefited from protection from human persecution. In the American West, fire suppression and power lines provide additional perches for hunting. Human actions that have benefited the Red-tailed Hawk in the eastern United States include forest thinning and the construction of the Interstate Highway System, both of which have created prime hunting areas. Red-tailed Hawks have adapted to human landscapes with isolated trees or small woodlots that provide nest sites and elevated perches for hunting, and their numbers have increased in North America in recent years. The reddish or rufous tail of adults makes the species one of the most easily recognized raptors. The fact that they tend to perch and soar in open habitats and tolerate human-dominated environments makes them one of the most frequently observed raptors in the region. Redtails are numerous migrants at many watchsites throughout their North America range. Across its widespread range, this species exhibits remarkable diversity in plumage, habitat use, and hunting ecology, so much that the redtail is often described as a “jack-of-all-trades.” The redtail is a large, stocky buteo found from central Alaska and Canada south to Panama. The Red-tailed Hawk is characterized by variability and versatility.
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