Bird of the Day: Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Subtitle: The Highway Sentinel With a Tail on Fire

Today's bird is the undisputed monarch of telephone poles, open fields, and dramatic soaring spirals: the Red-tailed Hawk. If you've driven anywhere in North America and haven't seen one, check again—they're practically the continent's unofficial roadside ambassadors.

Habitat & Hangouts

Red-tailed Hawks thrive in open habitats: grasslands, deserts, fields, forest edges, and suburban sprawl where rodents are plentiful and perches abound. They love a good vantage point—fence posts, dead trees, highway lights—anything that lets them survey their rodent kingdom with regal disdain.

How to Identify This Sky Boss

Look for:

That unmistakable rust-red tail, glowing like a live coal when backlit. (Juveniles lack this feature, just to keep birders humble.)

A sturdy brown body with pale underparts and a dark belly band—nature's built-in hawk nametag.

Broad wings built for soaring, often held in a slight dihedral (a gentle V).

Eyes full of judgment, as though evaluating your life choices.

A piercing scream that Hollywood uses for every eagle ever—because it's just that good.

Their hunting style is patient and precise: perch, wait,