Photo: M Durham

The largest breeding hawk in North America, the ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis), inhabits the arid grasslands and shrub-steppe habitats of western North America. On the Zumwalt Prairie, ferruginous hawks arrive each spring from their more southerly wintering grounds to breed. They establish territories and build nests in rocky outcrops or isolated trees. Both adults and young subsist primarily on a diet of Belding's ground squirrels.

The ferruginous hawk was petitioned for listing under the US Endangered Species Act in 1991 but a lack of information on population trends precluded its listing. It remains a species of concern with no formal protections.  In Oregon, ferruginous hawk is listed as a sensitive (critical) species. The conservation importance of this hawk is also recognized as a priority species by Partners in Flight.

Conservation Challenges:

Because of their sensitivity to human disturbance, exurban development is one of the greatest threats to the conservation of ferruginous hawks. Factors which degrade habitat or otherwise reduce the abundance of their prey species may also harm this species. 

More information is available:

  · An inventory of raptors and raptor nest sites on the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve (2001)

    
For a complete list of the Conservancy's reports concerning ferrruginous hawks on the Zumwalt Prairie click on the Files & Pages tab on the left margin and then browse by keyword.