Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)

Ferruginous Hawk
Buteo regalis

The *Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)* nests across much of the Great Plains of the western United States and parts of southern Canada. It is a large, heavy buteo with a powerful flight. The species has a light morph and a dark morph. Ferruginous Hawks winter over the southern portion of their breeding range, but many come father south to winter in the southwest and into Mexico. The light morph bird shown here was at Buffalo Lake N.W.R., Randall Co., Texas, in November, 1994. It was photographed with a Canon T-90 and FD 400mm F/5.6 lens on Kodachrome 64 film.
The dark morph bird at right was perched on a pole in the northwest Texas Panhandle in Dallam Co., in December, 1998. It was photographed with a Canon EOS 1N and EF 300mm F/2.8 L lens and 2X extender on Fuji Sensia.
The Ferruginous Hawk here was in a grassy field after a light snow in the Texas Panhandle in Hansford Co., in December, 1999. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1N and EF 600mm F/4 L lens on Fuji Sensia. Following are three flight shots of another light morph bird in Hansford Co., Texas in December, 1999. These shows show the wing pattern and shape of this species fairly well.



The Ferruginous Hawk in flight at right was near Las Vegas, San Miguel Co., New Mexico, in November, 2005. It was shot with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 500mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.
The individual perched on the utility pole at right was shot with the same equipment near Kim, Las Animas Co., Colorado, in December, 2005.
The soaring Ferruginous Hawk shown here was at Red Rocks Lake N.W.R., Beaverhead Co., Montana, in June, 2007. This image was shot with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 500mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.
The Ferruginous Hawk shown here was standing on the ground behind a brush pile in an effort to block a 40 mph north wind near Stratford, Sherman Co., Texas, in January, 2009. This image was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 800mm F/5.6 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.
The Ferruginous Hawk in the next 3 shots was near Texline, Dallam Co., Texas, in January, 2009. These shots were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 500mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.


The next 4 shots show a rufous-morph Ferruginous Hawk at the same time and location as the three preceding shots. The same gear was used.



The perched bird shown here was near Raton, Colfax Co., New Mexico, in January, 2009. This image was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and an EF 800mm F/5.6 L IS lens.
The next 3 shots show a Ferruginous Hawk in flight, also near Raton, Colfax Co., New Mexico, in January, 2009.


The bird shown here was near Texline, Dallam Co., Texas, in January, 2009, as were the next two shots of a bird in flight. These images were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 800mm F/5.6 L IS lens.


The next four images, two of a perched bird and two of a bird in flight, were taken with the same gear as above near Dalhart, Dallam Co., Texas in January 2009.



Like another shot on this page, this one shows a Ferruginous Hawk, an immature bird this time, perched behind a hay bale, trying to block a strong north wind. This shot was taken with the same gear as those just above near Sunray, Moore Co., Texas, in January, 2009.
The beautiful adult Ferruginous Hawk in flight in the next two images was near Gruver, Hansford Co., Texas, in January, 2011. These two shots were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and an EF 500mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.

The next two shots show a Chihuahuan Raven chasing and harassing an adult Ferruginous Hawk near Texline, Dallam Co., Texas.

The next nine images all show various Ferruginous Hawks near Texline, Dallam Co., Texas, in January, 2011. All these were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and an EF 500mm FD/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.








The rufous morph Ferruginous Hawk in the next 3 images was near Dumas, Moore Co., Texas, in January, 2011.


The next three shots show Ferruginous Hawks near Muleshoe N.W.R., Bailey Co., Texas, in January, 2011.