A rather common sight across North Dakota during the summer months is a large hawk with broad wings and a wide, rounded tail soaring high overhead. Although there may be other species, the odds are good that it would be a Swainson’s, red-tailed, or ferruginous hawk.
These three hawks are of a type referred to as a “buteo.” Buteos may be characterized as large hawks with broad wings and wide rounded tails. They are often observed soaring high overhead in a circular fashion. All three species are close in size, having a wingspan of around four feet or so and a length around two feet, with the ferruginous hawk generally regarded as the largest buteo. Their prey items are also similar, largely consisting of small mammals such as ground squirrels, mice, and rabbits.
The red-tailed hawk ranges over much of North America. In North Dakota, they can be observed over much of the state, but probably more frequently north and east of the Missouri River. It is a species of areas with a mixture of native prairie and/or cropland with some wooded areas, and typically nests in large trees. As the name indicates, it has a broad and distinctively red tail that is a key characteristic in identification.
The Swainson’s hawk is named for British naturalist William Swainson. It is a species of western North America and may also be observed over much of the state, particularly on open prairie with a few trees for nesting. Swainson’s hawks can be easily distinguished from the other buteos by their dark rusty brown bib, or breastband, above a light-colored underside. They, too, are often observed high overhead searching for their prey.
The ferruginous hawk, “the regal one,” is the largest North American hawk. Ferruginous means “rust colored” and is a reference to their reddish legs and back. They may be easily identified overhead by their light undersides and reddish colored thighs which form a distinctive rusty red “V.” Unlike other hawks, ferruginous hawks are known to construct nests on the ground.
