The red-tailed hawk is also known as chicken hawk. It is called so because it feeds on chicken. The chicken hawk is found almost everywhere, be it deserts, grasslands, coniferous and deciduous forests, agricultural fields or urban areas. Usually weighing from 10-12 kilograms, it is one of the heaviest hawks.
The chicken hawk has a highly variable diet that depends on what is available. It usually feasts on small mammals like rodents, ground squirrels and birds. It is also known to eat reptiles.
In islands where mammals are absent, chicken hawks survive on a diet of lizards, crabs and small birds. Their hunting techniques vary depending on the habitat they occupy.
The feathers and other parts of the red-tailed hawk are considered sacred by some Native American tribes and are sometimes used in religious ceremonies.
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