Rufous-tailed hawk

The rufous-tailed hawk is similar to the red-tailed hawk. It was first recorded by Charles Darwin in Patagonia while on his voyage of the Beagle.[2] The rufous-tailed hawk is a medium-sized hawk with a wing span of 45–60 cm.[1] The overall size range of the hawk is 54–60 cm.[3] There are two different colorations of the rufous-tailed hawk. The more common pale version of the hawk has a blackish brown upper parts, with a darker cap and cinnamon feathers along the side of the head and neck. The belly is white with dark markings and reddish brown coloration on it.[4] The dark version is basically all black with whitish edging on the feathers. The call of the rufous-tailed hawk sounds like kee-ahrr.[4]

The rufous-tailed hawk has been spotted living in a number of different habitat types, including evergreen beech forest,[5] mature forest and new growth forest that have been burned over,[6] and finally in open country.[7] The best theory for their ideal habitat was developed by Figueroa et al. (2000),[8] Trejo et al. (2006), and Rivas et al. (2009), who all suggested that rufous-tailed hawks' ideal habitat is somewhere with high trees near open areas that are good for hunting for prey. So far, there have been no reports of the rufous-tailed hawk living in human areas like cities or abandoned buildings.

The rufous-tailed hawk feeds on a large variety of prey. They feed on everything from other birds to mammals and reptiles. This shows that rufous-tailed hawks have a very broad diet that is similar to the red-tailed hawk. Figueroa et al. (2000) reported the rufous-tailed hawk feeding on southern lapwing, Norwegian rat, European hare, red-breasted meadowlark, Chilean flicker, short-tailed snake, and even a few unidentified beetles. Feeding or prey capture was also recorded to happen in forest and in parries.[8]

Rufous-tailed hawks have a longer recorded nestling period compared to other species of Buteo.[9] Rufous-tailed and red-tailed hawks have around the same nestling periods: around 49 days for rufous-tailed hawks[9] compared to 45–46 days for red-tailed hawks.[10] The egg clutch size of a rufous-tailed hawk has only been reported to between 1-3 eggs in a nest.[11]

Rufous-tailed hawks are threatened by many factors, especially habitat loss. Rufous-tailed hawks have been losing their habitat because of logging, over grazing by sheep and cattle, and the growth of Pinus and Eucalyptus plantations.[1] Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus globulus are fast-growing invasive plants that were introduced in order to spur the timber industry in Chile.[12] The other main threat to rufous-tailed hawks are local people, who sometimes kill these birds because rufous-tailed hawks attack and eat their domesticated animals.[11]

Ferguson-Lees and Christie (2001) estimated the population size to be around 100 individuals.[4] In 2001, the IUCN ranked them at only "low risk". They were only listed as "vulnerable" in 2015 because the IUCN estimated the population to be around 299-999 mature individuals and a total of around 375-1499 individuals.[1] If the total number of individuals drops lower than 1000, then they will be designated as "endangered" by the IUCN. But a more accurate and current population estimate is still need to get a better understanding of what danger the rufous-tailed hawk is truly in.