Nesting Red-tailed Hawks – Plus Guidelines On Photographing Nesting Birds

Nesting Red-tailed Hawks

Restful Red-tailed Hawk female – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

Last week when I photographed this stunning rufous Red-tailed Hawk I saw no signs of her mate or nesting but yesterday I found her again and at first she was alone and perched on a leaning wooden post. She was lit up by the early morning light with sagebrush and rabbitbrush in the background.

Female Red-tailed Hawk before lifting off from a wooden perch – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

The rufous colored Red-tailed Hawk seemed to glow in the light, everything about her is striking.

Side note: This Red-tailed Hawk has light colored eyes, she had the same color eyes last year when she nested. This Red-tailed Hawk is definitely an adult but she has lighter colored eyes than most adults I photograph.

Red-tailed Hawk female on a lichen covered cliff face – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

The female Red-tailed Hawk seemed to be warming up in the morning sun and I don’t think she could have looked more gorgeous than when she rested on this lichen covered cliff face. She and the rocks on the cliff are so naturally colorful.

Male Red-tailed Hawk carrying nesting material in his bill – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

I was delighted to find out that she does have a mate this year, a lighter colored male who was busy finding and delivering nesting materials to their nest.

Close up of a male Red-tailed Hawk in flight – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

Her mate isn’t as vibrantly colored as she is yet he is still a striking and beautiful hawk. He flew past at close range at one point and I couldn’t fit all of him into the viewfinder. It didn’t matter to me, I love this close up of him with the well lit cliff face behind him as he circled and then flew towards the female who was perched high up the hillside on a boulder.

Male Red-tailed Hawk after lifting off from a cliff – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

I did take photos of both the male and the female working on the nest but I am withholding those images to protect the location and their nest. If I seem a little vague when writing about these nesting Red-tailed Hawks that is being done purposely.

Please don’t ask me where this nest is. I don’t divulge nest locations, especially owl or raptor nests, unless they are well known which this nest isn’t. I don’t announce a nest locations publicly anyway because unfortunately there are unethical people who might harass these hawks by approaching too close, by staying too long, or by being at the nest too often. The hawks could abandon the nest before they lay eggs or abandon the eggs after they are laid. 

Guidelines On Photographing Nesting Birds:

• Do not approach too closely;
• If the birds show any sign of distress, back away;
• Don’t trim leaves, twigs or branches to get a clearer shot, you may inadvertently attract predators or cause the eggs/chicks to over heat;
• Follow local, state and federal guidelines concerning nesting birds;
• Don’t harass the birds to get an action shot;
• Don’t stay a long time with nesting birds or chicks, that disrupts their normal behavior;
• Always put the safety and comfort of the birds first.

For more information on the ethics of photographing nesting birds or chicks check out the Principles of Birding Ethics published by the American Birding Association.

Male Red-tailed Hawk taking a break from nest building – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

There was at one point an aerial skirmish between this pair of nesting Red-tailed Hawks and a Golden Eagle that flew past, this pair of hawks took to the air and chased that eagle off. In this photo the male is taking a break from nest building on the same perch I found the female on earlier in the morning.

I’m happy to see that the rufous female Red-tailed Hawk does have a mate and that they are building a nest to raise their young in, I hope they are successful.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to view more of my Red-tailed Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.

Note: These photos were taken from inside a vehicle being used as a mobile blind with sufficient distance between the nest and the vehicle so the hawks went about their business naturally. The comfort, safety and well being of the birds is always more important to me than the photos, especially during the nesting season.