Red-tailed Hawks are the most commonly observed birds of prey in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. They have adapted very well to urban living, and are very easy to locate if you just know where to look.

The Red-tailed Hawk is a large bird that can frequently be seen soaring high in the sky. They are easily distinguishable from other similarly sized raptors such as Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures by their lightly colored undersides. Red-tailed Hawks can also be be found perched on light post and utility poles that run along our roadways. They are experts at catching the small animals that live in the grassy areas next to and between the lanes of traffic.

I spotted this nice looking Red-tailed just before he launched himself from the top of this streetlight. This quick look at the hawk reveals a few more of its distinguishing features. The vest of brown feathers across his breast is a signature of Red-tailed Hawks. As are the dark patches on each shoulder. And, finally, there is the namesake red tail that make the identification unmistakable.

Red-tailed Hawk - Overcast

Red-tailed Hawk - Overcast

Red-tailed Hawk - Overcast

Red-tailed Hawk - Overcast

One Reply to “Red-tailed Hawk – Overcast”

  1. One of these beauties just landed in our backyard live oak in Plano. I was putting out bird seed & saw a large shadow overhead, so I saw his graceful landing in our tree. Of course, my cell phone wasn’t with me, so no photo 🙁 I spoke to him softly for about 5 minutes before he left. The manner in which he cocked his head made me wonder if he understood my admiration.

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