If I were a red-tailed hawk….

If I were a Red-tailed Hawk I would….  As a kid did you ever play the game “If I were _________(fill in the blank) I would”?  Maybe not.  Maybe it was just something that kids like me, who grew up on small rural towns, did to wile away hot summer hours.  Or more likely it was just an idea my parents came up with so we would stay pre-occupied.

Anyway, today’s subject is the Red-tailed Hawk.  A bird of prey that I have be fascinated with- ok- borderline obsessed- as a photo subject.  As obsessions go I am hoping this kind is one that is a bit more on the “ok” side.  To persuade you of my “obsession” I have included in the gallery below but a “few” of the shots that I have collected over the last four years or so.  I need to emphasize the word “few“- sadly.

Let me be clear.  When I started on my photography journey I did not make a conscious decision to pursue Red-tailed Hawks.  In fact the obsession developed from opportunity and my fascination with all the large “birds” I was seeing along our rural highways.  I felt like something had changed.  It seemed that it was a change from when I was a kid growing up in the 60’s and 70’s in Plano, Illinois.  Of course, there is the possibility exists that the change was just my awareness.  Again, sadly, my observational powers are sometimes lacking in shall we say “power”.

At the time that my big bird awareness started to grow I did not make a connection that I was seeing mostly the same species.  In the beginning my bird of prey knowledge was pretty basic.  I knew they were hawks but did not realize the many different color variations that I was seeing could be the same hawk type.  But over time as my photo collection grew and I did my research I came to that revelation.

Now I know that Red-tailed Hawks are one of the most prevalent hawks in North America.  Their range literally extends throughout most of North America.  If you have traveled the U.S., like I have had the privilege of doing, let alone visited Canada and Mexico, you will know that the habits that the Red-tail has apparently adapted to is quite varied and testament to the bird’s adaptive skills.

If you want to read more about the Red-tail here are some resources:

• Good Natured in St. Charles: Red-tail hawk squawks about independence

  1.  Red-tailed Hawk (Wikipedia)

  2. GOOD NATURED: ‘KEEE-EER!’ RED-TAILED HAWK SCREAMS ITS FRUSTRATION

  3. Red-tailed Hawk (All-About Birds)

  4. Red-tailed Hawk (e-Bird.org)

  5. Red-tailed Hawk (BirdWeb)

  6. Red-tailed Hawk (Audubon)

If you like my photos please check me out on Intagram: @rrsearl.photosSo “If I were a Red-tailed Hawk… I would want to smile and say cheese!” 

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