The ferruginous hawk is the largest Buteo in North America. Buteos are robust hawks with long, broad, rounded wings and short broad tails. Ferruginous (pronounced fe-ROO-ji-nous, meaning reddish brown or rust-colored) is a fitting description for this bird. The scientific name is Buteo regalis, which in Latin means royal hawk.

Like the rough-legged hawk featured in a previous article, the ferruginous hawk is feathered down to its toes. It is endemic to the Great Plains and Western areas of the U.S., such as open grasslands, agricultural lands and shrub-steppe prairies. Its summer range extends into the southern Canadian plains. This is a short- to medium-distance migratory hawk, with some individuals wintering as far south as central Mexico.

The bird comes in a light and dark color morph. The light morph is far more common. The light morph is white below with rusty leggings and rust marks on the belly and underwings that can vary from bird to bird. Above is overall brown with brilliant rust marks on the upper wings near the shoulder. It has a pale head with grayish/blue colors showing on the top of the head. The dark morph shows little or no signs of the ferruginous coloring and is dark brown overall with light areas on the body and wings.

This is a big, bulky bird. Its length ranges from 20 to 26 inches with a wingspan of 53 to 60 inches. Weight ranges from 2 to 4.4 pounds, with females sometimes being double the weight of the male. The large head, bulky body and long tapered wings held in a shallow V while soaring are other identifying features.

The ferruginous hawk is a year-round resident in Oregon’s High Desert. The numbers may increase during the winter as birds residing in Washington’s High Desert move south for winter food. Its diet consists mainly of prairie dogs, ground squirrels and other rodents. It will take snakes and birds too when the opportunity arises. It will hunt on the ground, from perches and on the wing. In spite of the bird’s large size it is capable of hovering into the wind for short periods of time.

This beautiful hawk can be found in the open agricultural fields around Fort Rock, Christmas Valley, and north and east of Bend.

Get out and enjoy the birds.

— Tom Lawler is an avid bird watcher and photographer. He serves on the East Cascades Audoubon Society board and does bird walks at the Sunriver Nature Center.