Animal Behavior:  Red-tailed hawk pairs remain together for years in the same territory. These birds are very territorial, and defend territories that range in size from 0.85 to 3.9 square kilometers, depending on the amount of food, perches, and nest sites in the territory.

Eating Habits:  Eighty to eighty-five percent of their diet consists of small rodents. Mammals as large as eastern cottontail rabbits may also taken. Reptiles and other birds make up the rest of the diet.

Range: Red-tailed hawks are native only to the Nearctic region. They are found throughout the United States and Canada, and into Mexico and Central America. Many birds are year round occupants although the birds of the far north migrate south during the fall to escape the harsh winter.

Conservation Efforts:  Currently, the greatest threats to red-tailed hawk populations are shootings, collisions with automobiles, and human interference with nesting activities. Lead poisoning from eating food items that contain lead shot also kills a number of red-tailed hawks each year.  Red-tailed hawks are protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act

Animal Facts:  They are monogamous, and mate with the same individual for many years. In fact, red-tailed hawks usually only change mates when their original mate dies.  The female lays 1 to 5 eggs around the first week of April. The eggs are laid approximately every other day and are incubated for 28 to 35 days. Both parents incubate the eggs.  Lifespan can be 20-30 years.