Freya

Red Tail Hawk

Height: about 18 inches (feet to head)

Weight: Approx 2000 grams (4.5 pounds)

Wingspan: 4.5 feet

Color: Brown with white with red tail

Species: Buteo Jamaicensis

Age: 10 yrs

Freya's History

Freya the Red Tail Hawk was injured when she was less than a year old. The impact of a car blinded one of her eyes , and she does not seem to be able to tell how far out her wings go. It makes her bump into things as she flies. Freya is a very large bird for a red tail hawk.

• Freya joined us in 2002.
• Freya is blind in one eye.
• Freya makes the sound most people think is an eagle.
• Freya eats rats, mice and other small animals. She can eat 5-8 mice each day).

Freya is a regal and beautiful bird. she is perfectly happy to sit on a perch and watch us humans walk around. She is absolutely not afraid of people and is always in control. She is the largest Red Tail we have ever worked with, and she uses her size and strength to keep birds around her from fighting.

Red Tail Hawk - Buteo Jamaicensis

Red Tail Hawks are the most commonly seen raptors in the area. The are often seen doing lazy circles in the sky, hunting for food. There most common prey in the city is pigeons and squirrels.

Red tail hawks can be identified from far away during their high flying circles by noticing the light color feathers under their wings. Vultures and eagles have dark colors under the wings. The red tail in these hawks only changes to red after they are over a year old.

Since these birds are also the only ones big enough to kill chickens, they are sometimes called chicken hawks. While they will kill chickens and eat them, the Great horned owl and other predators are much more commonly the cause of dead poultry.