Red-tailed Hawk on Ponderosa Pine
Taken about 3 miles west of Tucker Crossing of the Bitterroot River in the Bitterroot Valley December 27, 2012.
A year-round resident in western Montana, the Red-tailed Hawk commonly overwinters in the Bitterroot Valley. Plumage is extremely variable, ranging from very light forms to very dark forms. The "typical" color phase is dark brown above and white below, with a band of dark speckling across the belly (belly band), and a rusty-red tail (paler underneath).
Red-tailed Hawks nest in trees and on cliffs, and hunt over grasslands, open woodlands, and agricultural areas.
Read MoreA year-round resident in western Montana, the Red-tailed Hawk commonly overwinters in the Bitterroot Valley. Plumage is extremely variable, ranging from very light forms to very dark forms. The "typical" color phase is dark brown above and white below, with a band of dark speckling across the belly (belly band), and a rusty-red tail (paler underneath).
Red-tailed Hawks nest in trees and on cliffs, and hunt over grasslands, open woodlands, and agricultural areas.
