The red-tailed hawk lives in forests and grasslands throughout Pennsylvania.
The red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is one of the most common birds of prey in Pennsylvania. This medium-sized hawk may be identified by the reddish-brown plumage on its back and tail. Red-tailed hawks are opportunistic eaters and prey on small to medium-sized mammals, snakes and birds. A Pennsylvanian red-tailed hawk's diet is largely based on its habitat, which means these birds usually prey on whatever is abundant in a specific region.
Mammals
The majority of prey in a red-tailed hawk's diet are small to medium-sized mammals, according to Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology, allaboutbirds.org. Some mammals on the red-tailed hawk's grocery list are voles, shrews, rabbits, rodents, squirrels and hares. Red-tailed hawks usually look for mammals less than 5 pounds. Mammals usually have more meat than other animals in the red-tailed hawk's diet. Some of the larger red-tailed hawks are able to swallow small mammals whole.
Snakes
Snakes are the primary reptiles on a red-tailed hawk's diet. These animals are the only reptiles large enough for red-tailed hawks to consider a meal. Also, red-tailed hawks do not have to deal with cracking open a shell to eat a snake, like they would with a turtle. Red-tailed hawks do not discriminate between nonvenomous or venomous snakes when choosing a meal. Some of Pennsylvania's native snakes are hognoses, racers, kingsnakes, water snakes, garters, copperheads and rattlesnakes.
Birds
A red-tailed hawk also preys on birds smaller than itself. When devouring a bird, red-tailed hawks usually pluck off all the feathers before feeding on it. Red-tailed hawks will fly over birds they intend to kill and swoop down before the bird is aware of their presence. Since they are more visible, small wetlands birds -- such as ducks and teals -- are more likely targets than arboreal birds, which live in dense forests. According to the Franklin Institute, red-tailed hawks in Pennsylvania's urban areas have been seen preying on rock pigeons.
Eating Habits
When looking for prey, red-tailed hawks search for groups where they can swoop and catch one of the group's members. These birds will often search while sitting on a high tree branch. Red-tailed hawks use their sharp talons to grasp their prey. While grasping, the red-tailed hawk's talons puncture their prey's vital organs, which usually kills the victims almost instantaneously. Red-tailed hawks do not consume their catches until they reach their nests. Once at the nest, red-tailed hawks decapitate the prey. These birds have sharp and powerful beaks to tear into their prey's flesh.
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