Which hawk is the most common large hawk across much of North America?

The red-tailed hawk is the most common large hawk across much of North America.

Its range extends from Alaska and Canada through the United States, Mexico, and parts of Central America and the Caribbean. The species is especially familiar because it tolerates many habitats, including farmland, grassland, desert edges, forests, and cities.

Adults usually show a rich reddish-orange tail, although juvenile birds have brown, banded tails. The red tail is therefore a useful clue, but not an infallible one: color varies, and pale or dark forms occur. The species’ scientific name, Buteo jamaicensis, reflects its classification as a broad-winged buteo hawk.

It is often confused with the smaller red-shouldered hawk or with Swainson’s hawk, especially at a distance. Red-tailed hawks commonly soar on rising air currents and hunt mammals such as rodents, rabbits, and ground squirrels.