Ferruginous hawk (light morph)
Images copyright by Mark A. Chappell
Ferruginous hawks are the largest of the North American buteos and are characteristic birds of open prairies and plains. They are uncommon and declining in much of their range. Many spend the winter in southern California, and the San Jacinto Wildlife Area (close to my home in Riverside) is a stronghold for these spectacular raptors. I've counted as many as six perched on power poles on a two-mile stretch of road near the Wildlife Area. Ferruginous hawks occur in two color morphs; all these birds show the more common light phase coloration -- a large, pale bird with touches of rusty red on the back and legs. I took these pictures out of my car window;
like many hawks, most ferruginous hawks are much less concerned by vehicles than
by humans on foot.
All of these birds are pale-phase adults; photographs of juveniles can be found here, dark-morph ferruginous hawks are here, and flying birds are here.
