The red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a bird of prey. It is one of the most common members within the genus of Buteo in North America or worldwide. It occupies a wide range of habitats and altitudes It is the only North American hawk with a rufous tail and a blackish patagium marking on the leading edge of its wing.
紅尾鵟（Buteo jamaicensis）是一種猛禽。 它是北美或全世界鵟屬中最常見的成員之一。 它分佈在各種地形各種海拔的地區。它是唯一一種尾巴呈紅褐色且翅膀前緣有黑色翼膜標記的北美鷹。
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Notes 筆記
- The red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America, from Alaska to as far south as Panama and the West Indies. It is one of the most common members within the genus of Buteo in North America or worldwide. At least 14 recognized subspecies of B. jamaicensis are described, which vary in range and in coloration.
- The red-tailed hawk, Cooper's hawk and sharp-shinned hawk are known in the United States as the "chicken hawk" though red-tailed hawks rarely prey on standard-sized chickens.
- Identifying most mature red-tailed hawks to species is relatively straightforward. It is the only North American hawk with a rufous tail and a blackish patagium marking on the leading edge of its wing. This species displays sexual dimorphism in size, with females averaging about 25% heavier than males.
- The red-tailed hawk occupies a wide range of habitats and altitudes, including deserts, grasslands, coniferous and deciduous forests, agricultural fields, and urban areas.
- The red-tailed hawk is carnivorous, and a highly opportunistic feeder. Nearly any small animal they encounter may be viewed as potential food. Their most common prey are small mammals such as rodents and lagomorphs, but they also consume birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates. Red-tailed hawks usually hunt by watching for prey activity from a high perch, also known as still hunting, but can vary their hunting techniques where prey and habitat demand it.
- In flight, red-tailed hawk soars with wings often in a slight dihedral, flapping as little as possible to conserve energy. Soaring is by far the most efficient method of flight for it.
- The feathers and other parts of the red-tailed hawk are considered sacred to many indigenous people and are sometimes used in religious ceremonies and found adorning the regalia of many Native Americans in the United States. Their distinctive tail feathers are a popular item in the Native American community.
- 紅尾鵟（Buteo jamaicensis）是一種猛禽，在北美大部分地區繁殖，從阿拉斯加到最南端的巴拿馬和西印度群島。 它是北美或全世界常見的一種鵟屬鳥。 根據它們的分佈範圍和顏色的不相同，至少有14個公認的亞種。
- 紅尾鵟、庫柏鷹和紋腹鷹在美國被稱為“雞鷹”，雖然紅尾鵟很少捕食標準大小的雞。
- 要識別大多數成年的紅尾鷹相對的簡單，它是唯一一種尾巴呈紅褐色且翅膀前緣有黑色翼膜標記的北美鷹。紅尾鵟在體型上有比較明顯的雌雄異型，雌鳥比雄鳥要大25%。
- 紅尾鵟分佈在各種地形各種海拔的地區，包括沙漠、草原、針葉林和落葉林、農田和城市地區。
- 紅尾鵟是肉食性的，在捕食上奉行機會主義，幾乎所有小動物都可能被視為它們可能的食物。 它們最常見的獵物是小型哺乳動物，如囓齒動物和兔形動物，但它們也吃鳥類、爬行動物、魚類、兩棲動物和無脊椎動物。紅尾鷹通常在高處觀察獵物活動來捕獵，也稱為偷襲，但可以根據獵物和棲息地的需要改變它們的狩獵方法。
- 在飛行中，紅尾鵟的翅膀經常是微微上翹的，盡可能減少拍打以節省力氣。 翱翔是紅尾鷹最有效的飛行方法。
- 紅尾鵟的羽毛和其他部分被許多土著人民視為是神聖的，有時用於宗教儀式上，也用來裝飾美國美洲原住民的王位標誌。 它們與眾不同的尾羽是美洲原住民的熱門物品。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Red-tailed hawk
- 維基百科: 紅尾鵟
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