Red-shouldered Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus L. ), adult

The Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus ) is a representative of Real buzzards ( genus Buteo ) from the Accipitridae family ( Accipitridae ). It is found in North America.

• 7.1 Notes and references
• 7.2 Literature

Description

The Red-shouldered Hawk is 38 to 48 inches long and has a wingspan 94-107 centimeters. He is a medium sized, slender Buzzard and has a relatively long tail and long legs. In flight, look in the basal portion of the outer primaries yellowish sickle-shaped badge.

The flight of the subspecies B. L. elegans is reminiscent of the representatives of the genus Accipiter, such as the hawk, with rapid wing beats followed by a glide phase with curved wings. The subspecies B. L. lineatus, however, rather flies like the wide swing buzzard with slower wing beats. The Red-shouldered Hawk is sailing with stretched wings flat and does not rattle.

Adult birds

In adult Rotschulterbussarden the shoulders and the small wing-coverts are reddish, the top is speckled intense white. The tail is black and has 4 white cross bands and a thin white terminal binding. The iris is brown.

Young birds

The plumage of juvenile Rotschulterbussarde can occur in different colors. Young birds of the subspecies B. L. lineatus are striped significantly more thin on the chest and resemble the wide swing buzzard. The other, the eastern subspecies have a coarser drawing on the bottom. Young birds of the subspecies B. L. elegans are relatively dark and resemble the brownish shoulders and the white spots on the top of the adult birds. The tail has many brown transverse bands, the iris is light gray.

Vocalizations

The call is a clear, high " kee - ah " or " kah " and takes place at regular intervals.

Dissemination

The Red-shouldered Hawk is in eastern North America from southern Canada to Mexico and in a narrow strip on the west coast of California and Baja California, the peninsula in the north of Mexico, before.

Habitat

The Red-shouldered Hawk thrives in moist mixed forests, often near water, in the West in drier forests. He comes up to altitudes of 1000 meters in front, while the train and in winter up to 2500 meters altitude. In Québec, he preferred the American beech and sugar maple as a nest tree.

Hiking

The Red-shouldered Hawk is partially migratory. Individuals from Canada and New England winter in the United States below 40 ° N. Some individuals overwinter in the transit area of Maryland, the largest part of the passage takes place here from early March to early April and from late September to mid-November. Rotschulterbussarde rarely fly over seas during migration.

System

There are five subspecies of Rotschulterbussards:

• B. L. lineatus - the nominate form, is widespread in eastern North America to the south of Missouri and South Carolina and has dark stripes on the red breast.
• B. L. alleni - is widespread in eastern Oklahoma and eastern Texas to southern South Carolina and Florida; it is smaller than the nominate race and has a gray approach to head and back, the dark stripes on the chest mostly missing.
• B. l extimus - occurs in Central and South Florida, and is the smallest and lightest subspecies.
• B. L. elegans - comes from the southwest of Oregon prior to Baja California and looks similar to the following subspecies.
• B. L. texanus - comes in south central Texas prior to Central Mexico and is much browner on the bottom than the nominate form.

Swell