Buteos of the Open Country Flashcards
Learn to identify the x species in the Buteo subgroup that prefer open country like grasslands, ranchlands, wetlands, desert, and urban areas: Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Harris's Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, and White-tailed Hawk
What does the term buteo mean?
Buteo is a genus of medium to fairly large raptors with a robust body and broad wings.
Photo by Paul Danese
Examples include Red-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, and Ferruginous Hawk.
Elsewhere in the world, they may be referred to as “buzzards”.
What are the FIVE key SHAPE characteristics of the buteo subgroup?
- Fairly large, chunky raptors, smaller than eagles.
- Broad, wide wings.
- Moderately long primary “fingers”.
- Relatively short, square tails.
- Overall “broad and burly” silhouette.
The hallmark characteristic of the buteos is that they are chunky, broad, and burly-looking raptors.
How many species of buteo are there in North America?
Technically, there are 9 species in the genus Buteo in North America. However, within the buteo subgroup, which is organized according to shape similarities rather than genus, there are 12 species.
Remember, the buteo subgroup has been compiled for the purpose of simplifying identification: by lumping together birds based on their similar shape characteristics.
So, for example, while White-tailed Hawks belong to a different genus altogether (Geranoaetus), they have a typical buteo shape and so they have been included in this subgroup.
What are the NINE species of buteos found in North America?
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Ferruginous Hawk
- Gray Hawk
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Rough-legged Hawk
- Short-tailed Hawk
- Swainson’s Hawk
- Zone-tailed Hawk
Listed alphabetically
List the remaining 3 species that have been lumped in the Buteo subgroup but, in fact, belong to other genuses.
- Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus)
- Harris’s Hawk (Parabuteo)
- White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus)
What is the typical size of a Buteo?
Buteos are large raptors that are larger than a crow but smaller than an eagle.
The only exceptions to this are Broad-winged Hawk and (perhaps) Short-tailed Hawk, which are smaller than an American Crow.
What are the smallest and largest species in the Buteo subgroup?
Smallest: Broad-winged Hawk
Largest: Ferruginous Hawk
Into what two camps of wing shape can the Buteos be roughly divided?
Those with slightly pointed wings and those with more rounded wings.
In the side-by-side comparison above, showing the flight silhouette of a Harris’s Hawk and a Swainson’s Hawk, it’s easy to appreciate the difference in wing shape (rounded vs. pointed).
What are FOUR examples of buteos that have more rounded wing shapes?
This is because the outermost 3-4 primaries are about the same length, making the wing look more blocky and rounded.
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Rough-legged Hawk
- Harris’s Hawk
Of course, these are not the only buteos with rounded wings, but the silhouette shows up particularly well in these species.
What are FOUR examples of buteos that have a more pointed wing shape?
When only a few primaries stick out, making the wing appear more pointed than rounded.
- Broad-winged Hawk
- White-tailed Hawk
- Ferruginous Hawk
- Swainson’s Hawk
When talking about a raptor’s wing shape, what is meant by the term secondary bulge?
The prominence of the innermost secondary flight feathers along the trailing edge of the wing, creating the appearance of a “bulge”.
Photo by Bart van Dorp
When the innermost secondary flight feathers are longer than the outermost secondaries, it causes the appearance of a bulge in the trailing edge of the wing.
Why is it important to assess the prominence (or lack) of a secondary bulge in flying raptors, particularly the Buteos?
This feature is quite prominent in certain raptor species and entirely absent in others, making it a useful identification tool.
Some raptors (like Harris’s Hawk and White-tailed Hawk) have very prominent secondary bulges, while others (like the Swainson’s Hawk) cast a more even and straight silhouette along the trailing edge of the flight feathers.
Knowing which of the buteos have significant secondary bulges and which have straighter wings can guide you towards a successsful ID.
When assessing the colors or markings of a buteo, what are TWO questions you can ask yourself to find important clues?
- Where is the white? In the wing linings and/or main flight feathers?
Example: Ferruginous Hawks have darker wing linings and white flight feathers, while Swainson’s Hawks have the opposite: white wing linings and dark flight feathers.
- Does the tail have bands? How thick are there and how many?
Example: White-tailed Hawks have a single dark band at the tip of the tail, while Short-tailed Hawks have a more heavily banded tail throughout.
What are THREE stand-out features of a perched Buteo?
- Large, rounded heads
- Robust bodies with broad shoulders
- Relatively short tails
Photo by USFWS
Many species of buteos hunt from perches like telephone poles and other exposed high points in open country, where they can survey for prey.
What is the most widespread and commonly seen raptor in North America?
Red-tailed Hawk
Photo by Ron Knight
Because it is so widespread and common, much of your ID work will be telling the other raptor species apart from Red-tailed Hawks, and so it will serve you well to learn its various distinguishing traits.
This is made tricky by the fact that Red-tailed Hawks have highly variable plumage, appearing a spectrum of shades between the light and dark morphs.
What is the preferred habitat of the Red-tailed Hawk?
Predominantly in open habitats with scattered perches.
Such as grasslands, agricultural fields, parklands, urban areas, roadsides, semi-arid scrublands, and dessert.
What is the key characteristics of Red-tailed Hawk?
Its broad, rusty-red tail.
The Red-tailed Hawk is the only raptor in North America with a red tail, making it an obvious ID if you happen to see it. But the red color is brightest on top of the tail, and since these raptors like to soar at great heights, you might not always get a good look at it. Also, immature Red-tailed Hawks have a brown, not red tail. This is where you’ll need to look out for the other diagnostic markers.
Why can identifying Red-tailed Hawks sometimes be challenging?
Their plumage coloration and patterning is extremely variable, ranging from completely dark all over to very light and intermediate forms.
In the western parts of North America, the dark and intermediate forms (left and middle) are more common, while the pale forms (right) are found throughout its range. This variabilty extends to individuals which have varying patches of white on the body.
The solution to this challenge is to know the key color patterns and markings of a Red-tailed Hawk in flight and perched, as well as other clues, like their pretty iconic call!
What color patterns and markings do Red-tailed Hawks exhibit in flight?
All forms of Red-tailed Hawks have a:
* dark patagial bar on the leading edge of the wing
* a thin dark outline all around the feather edges of the wing
* red tail feathers (adults)
Oftentimes, a dark belly band is visible, too.
Note: the dark patagial bar isn’t always visible in the darkest morphs, in which case you should look for the other key features.
What’s the biggest difference between immature and adult Red-tailed Hawks?
Immature Red-tailed Hawks don’t have a red tail.
Their tail is brown with thin, dark barring, although they still have the white, mottled V on the back, patagial bars, and other important features.
Aside from the red tail, what color characteristic is important to look for on a perched Red-tailed Hawk?
A V-shaped mark of white mottling colloquially referred to as “backpack straps” or “suspender stripes”.
Photo by Rhododendrites
Immature Red-tailed Hawks have barred brown tails, not red, which is illustrated perfectly here.
True or false:
Red-tailed Hawks have feathered legs.
False. They have bare, yellow legs from the ankles down.
Why is this important?
It can help you distinguish a perched Red-tailed Hawk from similar-looking Rough-legged Hawks and Ferruginous Hawks, which have feathers all the way down their legs to their toes.
Open habitats, like grasslands, marshes, and farmlands
Here, they hunt from perches—often small, thin ones like bushes—and frequently hover.
What SEVEN physical traits should you look for in Rough-legged Hawk?
- Pale flight feathers.
- Dark trailing edge to the wings.
- Black “carpal” patches at the wrists.
- Pale, streaked chest and face.
- Broad, dark belly patch.
- White patch at the base of the tail.
- Dark band at the end of the tail.
Rough-legged Hawks come in both light and dark morphs, with a lot of variability in plumage markings. The above-mentioned traits, however, are commonly identified across all morphs so you should look for them to collect clues for identification.
Remember, any ID should be supported by three or more clues!