Ferruginous Hawk

Buteo regalis

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

Breeding Map: Breeding bird survey map

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.

Conservation 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.

Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Ferruginous Hawk

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.