Our Red-tailed Hawk from "The Drift" at Beachcomber Swim Club in Center Square, PA

Swim Club

Buteo jamaicensis
The Red-Tailed Hawk

The red-tailed hawk is a large (19-25") hawk with a wing span of 46-58 inches. It is recognized most often by virtue of its conspicuous tail; reddish above, light pink beneath.

Nest sites may be used from year to year, since there is strong evidence that hawks mate for life. Their nests are bulky platforms of sticks lined with bark, located in the higher limbs of trees. The female lays 1-4 whitish, brown-spotted eggs and incubates them for approx 28 days.

When hatched, the young are covered with white down. Young hawks are able to fly from the nest in 4-5 weeks. Almost 80% of the hawk’s diet is small mammals, mainly rodents.