Red-tailed Hawk #3
by Robert Bales
Title
Red-tailed Hawk #3
Artist
Robert Bales
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
While driving in the country, I found this red-tailed hawk perched in the trees, It was very cooperative by stay in one place while I took several photos. It was a good thing that my wife was with me since she was the one that spotted the hawk.
These beautiful birds are North America's most common hawks. They are found all over the continent, in Central America, and in the West Indies. The first of these hawks to be scientifically studied was found in Jamaica.
Red-tailed hawks are known for their brick-colored tails, but there are 14 subspecies of various colorations, and not all of them have this characteristic.
These birds of prey are also known as buzzard hawks and red hawks. By any name, they are keen-eyed and efficient hunters. Red-tails prefer open areas, such as fields or deserts, with high perching places nearby from which they can watch for prey. But these birds are adaptable and also dwell in mountains and tropical rain forests. Hawks have even embraced human habitats. They often perch on telephone poles and take advantage of the open spaces along the roadside to spot and seize mice, ground squirrels, rabbits, reptiles, or other prey.
Breeding season initiates a spectacular sequence of aerial acrobatics. Hawk pairs fly in large circles and gain great height before the male plunges into a deep dive and subsequent steep climb back to circling height. Later, the birds grab hold of one another with their talons and fall spiraling towards earth.
Red-tailed hawks are monogamous and may mate for life. They make stick nests high above the ground, in which the female lays one to five eggs each year. Both sexes incubate the eggs for four to five weeks, and feed the young from the time they hatch until they leave the nest about six weeks later.
Uploaded
January 20th, 2015
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Comments (50)
Christopher James
One of your peers nominated this image in the 1000 views Groups nominated images by your fellow artist in the Special Features #17 promotion discussion. Please visit and pass on the love to another artist.....L/F/Tw
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks, Christopher for the information and the nice discussion along with the LFTw!!
Anita Pollak
What an outstanding capture of this beautiful hawk, Robert! Congratulations on reaching 1000+ views! l/f
Don Columbus
Congratulations Robert, your work is Featured in "A Birding Group - Wings"! I invite you to place it in the group's "2017 Featured Image Archive" Discussion!! L/Tweet
Maria Hunt
Magical moment captured with clarity an beautiful composition... The portrait is the best I've seen, Robert Bravo. f/l/twt
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks so much Maria for the wonderful comment and I am so glad you enjoyed the image!! Thanks so much for the LFTw!!