Class Aves
Order Kites
Family Eagles and Kites
Genus Buteo

Credit: Marcel Holyoak

North American field guide

Ferruginous Hawk

Buteo regalis

Also known as:Ferrugineous Rough-leg

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

58 cm (23") Uncommon. Great Plains.

Light Phase: rust on back and shoulders; mostly white beneath.

In flight; dark legs form a V against white underparts, tail is light and unbarred.

Dark Phase: dark body and underwings. Tips of white primaries are black. White unbarred tail.

Often hovers.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

6 photos

Credit: Alan Vernon

Dark phase - San Luis Obispo, California, US - December 27, 2010

Credit: Andrew Reding

Dark phase - Riverside County, California, US - December 21, 2012

Credit: Tom Benson

Female dark rufous morph with her mate, a light morph

Credit: Bryant

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport; Hebron; Boone County; Kentucky; United States; April 5, 2012

Credit: Herman Mays

Adult in driving rain. From the Peach Tree Valley, Central California in middle Autumn - November 2011

Credit: Blake Matheson

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Ferruginous Hawk, Columbia River Gorge

Credit: NDomer73

Ferruginous hawk (Buteo Regalis) - Ratonero

Credit: manolodorecho

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 4 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Ferruginous Hawk (Dark Phase)

2 rules

Rule 1 11 criteria confidence 1

Where was the white seen in flight ?: Mainly on the wings · On the undertail coverts · On the rump or lower back · Unknown
Did the bird show conspicuous or promient white in flight ?: Yes · Unknown
How was the bird SEEN BEST ?: In flight
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hawk-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:405-ferruginous-hawk-dark-phase:1:1 Source: 405 Ferruginous Hawk (Dark Phase), row 1

Rule 2 11 criteria confidence 1

How was the bird SEEN BEST ?: While landed
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hawk-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:405-ferruginous-hawk-dark-phase:2:1 Source: 405 Ferruginous Hawk (Dark Phase), row 2

Ferruginous Hawk (Light Phase)

2 rules

Rule 1 11 criteria confidence 2

Where was the white seen in flight ?: On the wings and underbody · Unknown
Did the bird show conspicuous or promient white in flight ?: Yes · Unknown
How was the bird SEEN BEST ?: In flight
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hawk-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:404-ferruginous-hawk-light-phase:1:1 Source: 404 Ferruginous Hawk (Light Phase), row 1

Rule 2 10 criteria confidence 2

How was the bird SEEN BEST ?: While landed
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Broad dark band across the tip · None · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hawk-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:404-ferruginous-hawk-light-phase:2:1 Source: 404 Ferruginous Hawk (Light Phase), row 2