Quick answer
Red-tailed Hawks live in Open country, fields, deserts, and roadsides. Within that range they pick microhabitats that supply cover, food (Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds)), water, and breeding sites — and they disappear where those features are lost.
Key takeaway
Red-tailed Hawks live in Open country, fields, deserts, and roadsides. Within that range they pick microhabitats that supply cover, food (Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds)), water, and breeding sites — and they disappear where those features are lost.
Red-tailed Hawk native habitat
Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are tied to Open country, fields, deserts, and roadsides. Look for sites that match their diet (Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds)) and movement style; seasonal rains or prey shifts can expand or shrink local occupancy.
Microhabitats red-tailed hawks prefer
Cover for resting, access to food, and safe breeding sites decide day-to-day use. Edge habitats can help adaptable populations but fail specialists that need continuous wild land.
How people change Red-tailed Hawk range
Farms, suburbs, and roads create opportunity for some individuals and lethal risk for others. Fragmentation without corridors isolates red-tailed hawk groups and raises local extinction risk.
Conservation geography for red-tailed hawks
Status in our guides: <strong>Least Concern</strong>. Protecting linked habitat often beats a single fenced reserve. Watch from a distance and never feed wild red-tailed hawks.
Appearance and the famous call
Adults are bulky hawks with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail that is brick-red on top. Plumage varies widely from pale to dark birds across their range. Their hoarse, screaming "keeeer" is one of the most recognizable bird sounds in film and television, where it is frequently used as the voice of a bald eagle, which actually has a much weaker call.
Habitat and range
The red-tailed hawk is found across nearly all of North America, from Alaska and Canada down through the United States, Mexico, and into Central America and the Caribbean. It thrives in open and semi-open habitats, including grasslands, deserts, farmland, and the edges of cities, which has helped make it one of the continent's most widespread raptors.
Sources
Red-tailed Hawk FAQs
Where do red-tailed hawks live?
Red-tailed Hawks live in Open country, fields, deserts, and roadsides. Within that range they pick microhabitats that supply cover, food (Carnivore (rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds)), water, and breeding sites — and they disappear where those features are lost.
What is the scientific name of the red-tailed hawk?
Buteo jamaicensis — used in research and conservation listings for red-tailed hawks.
What do red-tailed hawks eat?
Red-tailed Hawks eat rodents, rabbits, reptiles and birds, with seasonal and regional variation in Open country, fields, deserts, and roadsides.
What is the conservation status of red-tailed hawks?
Listed in our guides as Least Concern. Check the IUCN Red List and national assessments for the latest formal category.