The Red Tailed Hawk is quite large; it is the second largest Buteo (with Ferruginous hawks being the largest). The mature Red Tailed Hawk will weigh between two and four pounds and measure an average of 22 inches in length. They have an impressive wingspan of 56 inches. The female Red Tailed Hawk is larger than the male - sometimes as much as 1/3 times larger. The hallmark of this Hawk is its rounded, broad, dark-red tail. The red tail is only seen in mature Red Tails. The tail of juveniles is brownish in color, with whiter coloring at the base. The juveniles will gain their adult tail plumage after their first molt, at around two years of age. Some individuals may have a black terminal bar on their tails. The mature Red Tailed Hawk has reddish-brown plumage covering the top of his body and creamy white plumage on his chest. The rest of his underside is usually light brown or rust colored, and a cinnamon color wash is seen on the chest and neck. A distinct bellyband is also noticeable. The Red Tailed Hawk has a characteristic light colored wrist area on both of its wings. When this hawk is in flight, these light colored areas will sometimes give the effect of headlights. The primary feathers on the wings generally have barred stripes and are tipped with black. The beak of the Red Tailed Hawk is blue-black, and they have a yellow cere. Generally, the Red Tailed Hawks can display a large individual variation in plumage. There are 14 subspecies, which differ in geographical location, markings, and size. Color variation exists even within the different subspecies. The color variations are also referred to as "color morphs." One of the best visual methods of identifying the Red Tail is the patagial mark (a dark mark present on the leading edge of the wings of all red tails - immatures, adults of all variations except extreme albinos).
