Buteo lineatus
Birders visiting the Ogden Nature Center are currently enjoying seeing a red-shouldered hawk, which is not normally found in Utah.
Usually found in forest habitats with riparian zones and swamp areas, primarily in the eastern U.S. and California, they are often heard before being seen and are one of the most vocal hawks.
It is a medium-sized hawk (17 to 24 inches) with a wing span of 37 to 44 inches. The chest and underparts are reddish and barred. The brown wings and tail are edged with black-and-white striping. Pale crescents near the wingtips are visible in flight. Red shoulders weigh in at 17-28 ounces.
Logging and clearing of forests have disadvantaged red-shouldered hawks while increasing habitat for the open country red-tailed hawk. The summer breeding range extends from Minnesota to New Brunswick, southward to eastern Texas and Florida and on the Pacific Coast from southwestern Oregon into Baja California. It winters throughout much of its range below the Canadian border.
The red-shouldered hawk hunts from a perch, dropping down from the canopy onto small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and crayfish. Occasionally it will join with the American crow to drive great horned owls from a territory.
It builds a nest in the crotch of a tree with sticks, twigs, leaves, mosses and other soft material where it will incubate two to five eggs. Hatchlings are helpless at birth but at five days can excrete waste over the nest rim onto the ground.
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* BILL FENIMORE is owner of the Layton Wild Bird Center. The center offers a variety of free walks. Call 801-525-8400 or visit www.wildbird.com/layton for more information.
