Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopus
Summary 2
The rough-legged buzzard (Buteo lagopus), also called the rough-legged hawk, is a medium-large bird of prey. It is found in Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America and Eurasia during the breeding season and migrates south for the winter.[2] It was traditionally also known as the rough-legged falcon[3] in such works as John James Audubon's The Birds of America.
Nests are typically located on cliffs, bluffs or in trees. Clutch sizes are variable with food availability, but three to five eggs are usually laid.[4] These hawks hunt over open land, feeding primarily on small mammals.[2] Along with the kestrels, kites and osprey, this is one of the few birds of prey to hover regularly.[5]
This fairly large raptorial species is 46–60 cm (18–24 in) with wingspan ranging from 120 to 153 cm (47 to 60 in).[2][6] Individuals can weigh from 600 to 1,660 g (1.32 to 3.66 lb) with females typically being larger and heavier than males.[7][8] Weights appear to increase from summer to winter in adults, going from an average of 822 to 1,027 g (1.812 to 2.264 lb) in males and from 1,080 to 1,278 g (2.381 to 2.818 lb) in females.[9][10] Among the members of the genus Buteo, it is sixth heaviest, the fifth longest, and the fourth longest winged.[11] Among standard measurements in adults, the wing chord is 37.2–48.3 cm (14.6–19.0 in), the tail is 18.6–25.5 cm (7.3–10.0 in), culmen is 3.2–4.5 cm (1.3–1.8 in) and the tarsus is 5.8–7.8 cm (2.3–3.1 in).[11][12][13] The plumage is predominantly brown in colour and often shows a high degree of speckling.[2] A broad brown chest-band is present in most plumages and a square dark carpal patch contrasting with the white under-wing is an easily identifiable characteristic in light morph individuals.[2] A wide variety of plumage patterns are exhibited in light vs. dark morphs, males vs. females and adults vs. juveniles. Extensive field experience is required to distinguish between certain plumage variations.[9] Compared to its more common nearctic and palearctic cousins, the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and the red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), it is slightly larger, though may be outweighed by the latter.
Its feet are feathered to the toes as an adaptation to its Arctic home range. Its scientific name reflects this feature; the genus name Buteo is the Latin name of the common buzzard, and lagopus, is derived from Ancient Greek lago (λαγως), meaning "hare", and pous (πους), "foot".[14][15] Its talons are relatively small, reflecting their preferred choice of prey.
Distinguishing characteristics in all plumages include long white tail feathers with one or more dark subterminal bands. The wing tips are long enough to reach or extend past the tail when the animal is perched.[2] The common buzzard can be similar-looking, with a similar long-tailed shape and can be notoriously variable in plumage. The rough-legged is longer-winged and more eagle-like in appearance. The red-tailed hawk is chunkier-looking and differs in its darker head, broader, shorter wings, barring on the wings and the tail, dark leading edge to the wings (rather than black wrist patch) and has no white base to the tail. The ferruginous hawk is larger, with a bigger, more prominent bill and has a whitish comma at the wrist and all-pale tail.[16]
It is the only hawk of its size (other than the very different-looking osprey) to regularly hover over one spot, by beating its wings quickly.
This species is carnivorous, typically feeding on small mammals, which make up 62–98% of its diet. Lemmings and voles are the major prey items of this species, seasonally comprising up to 80–90% of their prey, but this varies with seasonal availability.[2][11][19] Some evidence suggests that these hawks may be able to see vole scent marks which are only visible in the ultraviolet range, allowing them to cue in on prey.[20] Despite generally preying on rodents, a 2015 paper reported the species breeding on rodent-free Kolguev Island in Arctic Russia with goslings a main prey.[21] The rough-legged hawk will also supplement its diet with mice, rats, gerbils, pikas and insects.[2][19] Besides mammals, birds are the second most favored type of prey for rough-legs. Most avian prey species are small passerines such as snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis), Lapland longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) and American tree sparrow (Spizelloides arborea). However, they will also prey on birds slightly larger than the passerines typically targeted, especially ptarmigan (Lagopus ssp.), as well as waterfowl, shorebirds (such as ruffs (Philomachus pugnax)) and short-eared owls (Asio flammeus). They usually target bird prey which are young and inexperienced, with relatively large avian prey often being snatched in their fledging stage.[11] When small mammals are scarce, the rough-legged hawk will also feed on larger, medium-sized mammals including prairie dogs (Cynomys ssp.), ground squirrels, muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus), weasels (Mustela ssp.) and even adult black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) of approximately twice their own weight.[22][23] During winter, shrub-steppe habitats seem to encourage a strong dependence on rabbit prey.[2] In developed areas of England, wintering rough-legged buzzards have been recorded preying most regularly on relatively large prey such as common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) and invasive European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).[11]
This avian predator hunts opportunistically, occasionally supplementing their diet with carrion, but focusing primarily on the most locally abundant small vertebrates. Rough-legged hawks will steal prey from other individuals of the same species as well as other species such as the red-tailed hawk, hen harrier (Circus cyaenus), American kestrel (Falco sparverius) and common raven (Corvus corax).[24] Prey sizes typically range from 6.5–2,587 g (0.23–91.25 oz) and adults require 80–120 g (2.8–4.2 oz) of food daily, around the body mass of the largest species of vole or lemming although most species weigh a bit less.[11] These raptors hunt during the daytime.[11] Like most Buteos, rough-legged buzzards have been reported both still-hunting (watching for prey from a perch and then stooping) and watching for prey while in flight. Unlike most other large raptors, they may engage in hovering flight above the ground while search for prey.[2]
Sources and Credits
- (c) Rick Leche - Photography, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/64649343@N00/3267798008
- Adapted by calgaryzoo from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buteo_lagopus
