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Rough-legged Hawk

Buteo lagopusOrder: FALCONIFORMESFamily: Kites, Eagles and Hawks (Accipitridae)

Rough-legged Hawk Portrait
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General

Rough-legged Hawk: Large hawk with brown upperparts, paler, streaked head, brown-spotted white breast, and dark breast band. Legs are fully feathered. Wings are mostly pale below and dark-edged. Upper half of tail is white, lower half is finely banded. Uncommon dark phase is brown-black overall. Female and juvenile are more olive-brown with dark belly bands and single, thick terminal tail bands.

Range and Habitat

Rough-legged Hawk: Breeds in northern Canada. Spends winters in southern Canada and northern U.S. Prefers open country, upland tundra, plains, and marshes.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

Generally silent

Interesting Facts

  • The Rough-legged Hawk was first described in 1763 by Erik Pontoppidan, Danish author, bishop, and historian.
  • The name "Rough-legged" Hawk refers to the feathered legs. This hawk, the Ferruginous Hawk, and the Golden Eagle are the only American hawks to have legs feathered all the way to the toes.
  • Their nests sometimes contain the bones of caribou along with sticks.
  • A group of hawks has many collective nouns, including a "boil", "knot", "spiraling", "stream", and "tower" of hawks.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Rough-legged Hawk
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Family
Species Buteo lagopus
Length18 - 24 Inches
Wingspan52 Inches

Rough-legged Hawk

Rough-legged Hawk: Large hawk with brown upperparts, paler, streaked head, brown-spotted white breast, and dark breast band. The legs are fully feathered. Wings are mostly pale below and dark-edged. Upper half of tail is white, lower half is finely banded. Uncommon dark phase is brown-black overall.

● Song: Generally silent

● Foraging & Feeding: Rough-legged Hawk: Hunts mostly small mammals, especially lemmings during the summer; also takes birds or eats carrion.

● Breeding & nesting: Rough-legged Hawk: Lays two to three white eggs with brown streaks or blotches in a nest made of sticks, lined with moss, and built on a cliff. Eggs are incubated for 31 days mostly by the female.

● Similar species: Rough-legged Hawk: Northern Harrier has thinner wings and lacks white on tail. Harlan's Hawk has more mottling on underparts and has a whiter uppertail surface.

Flight Pattern

Alternates powerful flaps with glides., Hangs in wind and hovers over one spot.
Rough-legged Hawk Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Rough-legged Hawk: Breeds in northern Canada. Spends winters in southern Canada and northern U.S. Prefers open country, upland tundra, plains, and marshes.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationCommon in range, Uncommon on wintering grounds
MigrationMigratory
Weight30.4 Ounces