Names and definitions-- The Hawk's scientific name is Buteo jamaicensis.  The genus Buteo is from Latin Buteo (broad rounded wings). The specific name jamaicensis is named for Jamaica, the country, and from Latin -ensis (which means belonging to a place). This refers to the range to the hawk, extending from Alaska to the west indies. The Hawk is a bird of prey and those types of birds are called raptors. The young ones, when they have their first complete plumage, are called immature.
 

Size-- Their length is 17 to 22 inches with an average of 19 inches. Their wingspread depending on the spices, ranges from 43 to 56 inches. Their weight ranges from 1.5 to 3.3 pounds, averaging 2.4 pounds.
 

Colors-- Adults are typically dark brown and the immature ones are grey and brown. There are five different species of Hawks in the United States and several more around the world. Their colors vary slightly. they have quite noticeable shade of red on their tale end. A few spices are black, but it is rare
 

Where do they live?  Hawks are a very common type of bird that can be found in every habitat in North America except in the high Arctic and in extencive tracts of dence forests. The ones that live in the far North migrate south in autumn(when the cool days began). They can get down at all the way to Mexico and South America. They don't stay in the snow and ice. they return in the spring
 

Reproduction-- Hawks start breeding when they are one year old. The breeding seasons is in the spring, and the eggs are laid six to eight weeks later. The mother keeps the eggs warm for  about a month be four they are born in late spring. There are normally three eggs in a nestling. Weasles sometimes attack their nests, killing and/or eating the nestling.
 

Flight-- Active flight is with slow, steady, and deep wing beats. Hawks soar with wings raised slightly above horizontal. They hover and kite on mederate wind.
 

Eating-- While still young and living in the nest, hawks will eat worms and beatles. They will also eat frogs,mice and snakes. As they get order, hawks prey manily rodents but also on insects and their larvae,fish and larger mammals such as rabbits,hares, and squirrels. They will also eat carrion.
 

Vision-- Hawks vision is much better than humans. They can see spiders and bettles from afar. Hawks can see a mouse from a height of one mile.
 

How do they live?-- The hawks average life span is 20 years.
 

Predators-- They have a few, if any, natural preadators, but enemies such as pollution, particularly from pesticides, and habitat destruction from developments. In short, humans are their main predators.
 

Causes of death-- In addition to their predators, young hawk can die from learning to fly or eating big snakes
 

Nest-- Very large,3 feet across,made of sticks, twigs, lined with bark and sometimes decorated with green sprigs of evergreen. Usually built in oaks,pines and other large trees, from 15-70 feet or more.

Flight speed-- Flapping and gliding in migration: 20-40 mph; top speed during level flight record at 40 mph, but approaching 120 mph during areial dive.

BY
      Stephen
           Hogan