.:Breeding & Nesting:.

RTH are monogamous and will stay together unless one dies - in which biology kicks in and the cycle must continue. 

They have a complex breeding ritual that involves courtship displays and territorial behavior. The breeding season for red-tailed hawks usually begins in late winter to early spring and lasts through the summer months.

Both males and females are sexually mature around the age of three - during the breeding season, the male will begin to display territorial behavior by patrolling and defending his nesting territory. He will also begin to display courtship behaviors, such as calling out to potential mates and performing aerial displays, which can include soaring and diving and begin their beautiful rituals of making themselves seen and available by taking to the sky and performing various arial acrobatics, especially seen with males where they will also show off remarkable dives from high altitudes while the female watches. Part of this includes bringing the selected female gifts of different kills. When she has accepted him they then proceed to build a tight bond with each other through vocalization and - preening - Have you ever seen two hawks/ravens/etc. flying together, doing areal moves together where they're synchronized? Or when they groom each other? This is preening. These behaviors help create a deep bond between a mating pair and in birds that live in social groups. -

Tightly bonded, they'll continue their rituals as long as they're together

Once this has been established, the pair begins to prepare for mating and nest building which is usually located in a tall tree or on a cliff ledge. The nest is made of sticks and lined with softer materials, such as grass or leaves. After the nest is complete, the female will lay 1-4 eggs, which are incubated for approximately 28-35 days and both will take turns incubating the eggs and hunting for food. 

Once the eggs hatch, the chicks are born with soft, downy feathers and are completely dependent on their parents for food and care. The parents will continue to take turns caring for the chicks, bringing them food and protecting them from predators.

Tending and incubating the eggs

The chicks require an all around the clock attention

As the chicks grow, they will begin to develop their flight feathers and practice flapping their wings. The parents will prepare their chicks to leave the nest by gradually reducing the amount of food they bring to the nest and encouraging the chicks to exercise their wings in preparation for their first flight. As the chicks grow, the parents bring them less food each day, which encourages them to develop their hunting skills and become more independent. The chicks will begin to flap their wings vigorously to strengthen their muscles and prepare for their first flight. As the chicks approach the age of fledging, which is typically around 6-7 weeks old, the parents will begin to fly closer to the nest, encouraging the chicks to follow them and practice flying short distances. This process is known as "branching". Eventually, the parents will make short flights away from the nest, tempting the chicks to follow them. This process is known as "fledging". Once the chicks are able to fly, they will leave the nest and begin to learn how to hunt for food on their own. The parents will continue to care for the fledglings for several more weeks, bringing them food and protecting them from predators, while the fledglings continue to practice their flying and hunting skills.

.:The Hunter:.

RTH's are one of the most efficient and skilled hunters in the bird world. Their hunting technique is based on their incredible speed, agility, and their unique physical features. The hawk's body is perfectly adapted for hunting, with a powerful beak, sharp talons, and large wingspan that enables it to soar through the sky with ease.

RTH typically hunts by perching on a high vantage point, such as a tree or power pole, and then scanning the surrounding area for prey. Once prey is spotted, the hawk will quickly take to the air and begin to circle above it. This circling motion allows the hawk to gain altitude and momentum before swooping down to catch the prey.

Their sharp beak and talons are its primary tools for hunting. The beak is strong and sharp, allowing the it to easily tear into the flesh of its prey. The talons are also sharp and powerful, and are used to grasp and hold the prey tightly. The hawk's talons are equipped with sharp spicules that help to keep the prey from slipping out of the hawk's grasp.

In addition to its beak and talons, the hawk's wingspan is another key feature that helps it hunt. The large wingspan allows the hawk to glide through the air effortlessly, conserving energy as it searches for prey. Its wings are also broad and powerful, enabling it to make sharp turns and sudden changes in direction while in flight. This agility is essential for catching prey that may try to evade the hawk's grasp.

RTH's eyesight is one of its most important tools when it comes to hunting. With eyes that are much more powerful than those of humans, hawks are able to see with incredible clarity from a distance of several hundred feet, which allows them to spot prey that is far away. They use their eyes to scan the surrounding area for prey while perched high up on a vantage point such as a tree or power pole. Their keen eyesight allows them to detect even the slightest movements of potential prey, such as small mammals, birds, and reptiles, from great distances. Once prey is spotted, the hawk will take to the air and begin to circle above it, keeping a watchful eye on its movements.

They also have a wider field of vision than humans, which allows them to see objects both in front of and to the side of them. This gives them an advantage in spotting potential prey as they are flying through the air. The hawk's eyes are also highly sensitive to changes in light and color, making it easier for them to spot camouflaged prey that may blend in with its surroundings.

Another unique feature of the hawk's eyesight is their ability to see ultraviolet light, which is invisible to the human eye allowing them to see certain markings and patterns on potential prey. For example, some small mammals, birds and reptiles have ultraviolet markings that are easily visible to hawks but are invisible to humans such as urine trails left by prey.

RTH's have incredibly sharp vision and are able to see with incredible clarity from a distance of several hundred feet, which allows them to spot prey that is far away. The visual acuity of a RTH is about 8x better than that of a human, meaning that they can see things that are 8x smaller than what we can see at the same distance.

One of the most remarkable features of a RTH's eyesight is their ability to see in great detail from a distance. This is due to the fact that hawks have a much higher concentration of photoreceptors in their eyes than humans which allow them to detect even the slightest movements from far away.

Another key difference between the vision of RTH and humans is that they have a wider field of vision. While humans can only see objects that are directly in front of them, RTH's are able to see objects both in front of and to the side of them. 

When hunting, they will typically swoop down from above and use its talons to grab onto its prey. The talons are capable of puncturing the skin and flesh of the prey, making it easier for the it to hold onto its catch. Once the it has caught its prey, it will typically deliver a killing blow using its sharp, curved beak to sever the spinal cord or neck of the prey.

The talons are also used for defense. If threatened, the hawk will often extend its talons and use them to fend off attackers and are capable of inflicting serious injury, making them an effective deterrent against potential predators.

.:The Spiritual:.