The Ferruginous Hawk is a large regal hawk of open western
prairies. They are the largest of the "Buteo" Hawks. In historic
times, the nest of the Ferruginous Hawk often used both bison bones in the
structure and bison dung as part of a lining.
Habitat: Grassland, sagebrush plains, rangeland, desert.
Diet: Mostly small mammals, including ground
squirrels, jackrabbits, gophers, rabbits, and mice. Also eats some
birds and reptiles.
Behavior: Generally hunts while soaring, or by
observing from a perch. It can also often be seen sitting on the
ground, where sometimes it will wait by a gopher or prairie dog hole for
prey to surface.
Nesting: April through June
Song: Harsh key-ahh, or kaah-kaah.
Migration: Generally a short-distance
migrant, with some birds at the northern end of it's normal range migrating
southward in the winter.
Similar Species: Depending on morph and
age, can be confused with the Red-Tailed Hawk
or the Rough-Legged Hawk.
Status: Ferruginous Hawks have
disappeared or plummeted in number in much of their former range, primarily due
to habitat loss.
South Dakota "Hotspot": My
favorite location to find them are around prairie dog towns on the Fort
Pierre National Grasslands.
2)
Cornell University's "All About Birds - Ferruginous Hawk"
3)
eNature.com:
Ferruginous Hawk
4) FerruginousHawk.org
Photo Information: February 16th, 2004 - 5 miles
southwest of Presho - Terry Sohl
Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or
text links below for additional, higher-resolution Ferruginous Hawk photos.
