Red-Tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis
Red-tailed Hawk
Description

Distinguishing Features - Upper side, dark brown randomly mixed with white and reddy-brown. Upper tail surface, characteristic chestnut colour (hence the name "red-tailed"), bearing narrow black subterminal band with whitish tip. Dusky strip from corners of mouth to shoulder. Underparts whitish, with a band, lined with random, slate-coloured markings. Underside of tail grayish with faint bars. Female somewhat larger than the male.

Size -
Male: 48 - 56 cm (19.25 - 22.5 in)
Female: 53 - 61 cm (21.25 - 24.5 in)

Habitat

In both woodlands and open areas.

Nesting

Mostly in tops of large trees but will nest on a cliff where trees are not available. Nest is made of larger twigs, lined with moss, bark, grass or other soft materials. Eggs, 2 - 4; white, lightly spotted with brown. Incubation period 28 - 32 days.

Notes

The Red-tailed Hawk is often seen perched on a branch or a telephone line surveying the surrounding countryside. Its diet consists mainly of small rodents and birds, as well as larger insects.

This here hawk...didn't get the memo...



"You looking at me?!"

My cell phone camera is limited and so I was able to find some awesome photos on the internet taken by a professional camera and talented photographer...

photos from here..."Outdoor Ontario" website The photgrapher who posted these pics on the wlinked website is Julian and thanks so much for such wonderful photos!!!!

Check out the red arrows...that is where the hawks are living...


These next pics are from my cell phone:

Anita and Behzad use binoculars to watch the nesting hawks. We can see the babies with our bare eyes too!


A mining dispute in northern Ontario has moved to the front lawn of the Ontario legislature.

Native and environmental protesters have set up a three-day camp on the grounds of Queen's Park, asking the government to revise the province's mining legislation. They also want Premier Dalton McGuinty to grant six jailed native leaders a reprieve.

The three-day protest will include singing, dancing and other traditional native ceremonies.

It's no vacation, according to Donny Morris chief of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, or K-I First Nation.

"Yeah, I would say we've been misled. Misled to believe things were done on our behalf here, so that's why we're bringing the fight to Toronto," he said.

That fight has already landed the K-I chief in jail along with five others.

Dubbed the K-I 6, they were sentenced to six months in jail for contempt of court after ignoring a judge's order not to interfere with the mining firm Platinex.

The company staked mineral claims on disputed Crown without the natives' permission. But under Ontario's century-old Mining Act, it's perfectly legal.

Sam McKay, another of the K-I 6, said if the mine goes ahead it has the potential to poison the Big Trout Lake watershed.

"It's only 17 kilometres from the south shore of our lake that we live at, and that's our livelihood," said McKay.

Protesters will stay on Queen's Park front lawn until May 29, the Assembly of First Nations' National Day of Action. from CBC


We ate lunch at the Legislative cafeteria. I highly recommend checking out your local political building, the hawks and a great menu. Your tax dollars are paying for this you might as well join in and enjoy. Our lunch was beef, lamb shank, and sausage with choice of salad or fries for $7.99. (I don't eat lamb so gave my portion to Behzad) isn't it a great deal?!