Why red-tailed hawks are so common in urban settings.

Walking along the Mission Creek trail, near downtown Kelowna, I witnessed a red-tailed hawk sitting atop his man-made perch.  He flew to a nearby tree branch and, after a few moments there, returned to the previous lookout.  The fact that traffic was just beneath him or that people were busily walking by concerned him little.  

This was not the first time I had witnessed these large buteos being quite at home in an urban setting.  This led me to the question, "Why do they seem so comfortable amongst people?"  

In general, red-tailed hawks are found in open plains areas throughout the continent, although they may not overwinter in many northern climates.  The exception to this seems to be southern BC, where they may be found year-round.  They are often present in cities, apparently due to their adaptable nature.  

Another benefit of city life is the abundance of food.  Although these birds of prey feed primarily on small mammals, they will also take birds and reptiles.  In the city there are squirrels, rats, and mice a-plenty.  Birds on the menu include pigeons, quail, starlings, and gulls.  In the winter, these a-la-cart items can be easily sourced while such fare may be limited in rural settings.

Then there is their relatively large size.  Such birds are not easily intimidated.  Besides being adaptable, they are not put off by the presence of potential threats.  They may move from one perch to another or take to the open air in uncertainty, but they are not about to leave the area.  

The city, it seems, is just another place to call home.  These raptors do not flock to cities as pigeons do but rather are comfortable enough to take up residence there.  They usually hold territories of one to two square miles, more if food is scarce, so there is lots of room for them.  As long as there is open terrain, plenty of food, and good places to perch, you will see them.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com