Soaring Red Tail Hawk is a photograph by Robert Bales which was uploaded on April 27th, 2015.
Soaring Red Tail Hawk
While driving in the Emmett Valley, I found this red-tailed hawk soaring over its nest.
These beautiful birds are North America's most... more
by Robert Bales
Title
Soaring Red Tail Hawk
Artist
Robert Bales
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
While driving in the Emmett Valley, I found this red-tailed hawk soaring over its nest.
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
April 27th, 2015
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Comments (19)
Christopher James
One of your peers nominated this image in the 1000 views Groups nominated images by your fellow artist in the Special Features #14 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 wonderful discussion and LFTw!!
Skyline Photos of America
Nice work! I can never seem to get a good shot of a hawk. Usually they are too far away or too shadowed.
Robert Bales replied:
Just keep trying. I sure have many deletes. I took this one with my 100-400mm lens. Thanks for the nice comments!!
Heather King
MY oh MY Robert, what a gorgeous capture you just know i'm going to fall in love with this one:) STUNNING work F/V/L
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks so much for the great comments and I am very happy that you liked it so much!!
Jim Fitzpatrick
Awesome capture and timing! fv
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks so much for a camera that has rapid fire!! Thanks for the nice comments and the FV!!
Emmy Vickers
Wow Robert - amazing scene. Nice detail and lighting. Love the simple blue sky background. Stunning! L.