12.3. Buteo jamaicensis: Red-tailed Hawk http://www.ck12.org
- Order: Falconiform
- Family: Accipitridae
- Genus:Buteo
- Species:B. jamaicensis
Habitat
The red-tailed hawk lives in southern Canada and the northern and southern United States. It lives in both urban and
rural areas.
Biology
Cell Biology
The red-tailed hawk has eukaryotic cells. Some parts of eukaryotic cells include a nucleus, cell membrane, cyto-
plasm, ribosome, and other organelles. The cell membrane is the border of the cell. Ribosomes makes proteins.
Evolution
The earliest known fossil of birds dates back to somewhere around the Jurassic period, over 130 million years ago.
These fossils, namedArchaeopteryx lithographicdue to the fact that it was found in stone, resembled reptiles in their
skeleton structure, but were covered in feathers.
Ecology
The environment of the red-tailed hawk usually includes trees, cliffs, small animals, mountain lions, bobcats and
other common plants and animals. The red-tailed hawk preys on small rodents and mammals such as rabbits and
mice.
Anatomy and Physiology
Red-tailed hawks usually don’t become sexually active until their third year of life. Females can breed earlier and
males often a little later than this. The red-tailed hawk builds a large stick nest, often in a tall tree or on a cliff ledge.
Behavior
The red-tailed hawk can be aggressive when defending territories. They frequently chase off other hawks, eagles,
and owls. Courting birds fly with legs hanging beneath them, or chase and swoop after each other. Mated pairs
typically stay together until one of the pair dies.
References
- The Encyclopedia of Life, http://www.eol.org.