{"id":34520,"date":"2015-12-27T04:55:26","date_gmt":"2015-12-27T11:55:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=34520"},"modified":"2025-09-30T17:47:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T22:47:25","slug":"a-kiting-rough-legged-hawk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/12\/27\/a-kiting-rough-legged-hawk\/","title":{"rendered":"Kiting Rough-legged Hawk"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"KitingKiting Rough-legged Hawk – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/1600, ISO 500, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 314mm, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Four years ago I spent time photographing a Rough-legged Hawk I found along the causeway to Antelope Island<\/span><\/a> and later over the island itself.<\/p>\n

As I observed and photographed this Rough-legged Hawk it caught prey a few times and oddly enough I saw the hawk being bitten on the leg by the prey that day too at which point the hawk dropped the vole and then flew down to retrieve and eat it whole.<\/p>\n

The hawk spent most of the time in flight over the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake while I photographed it.<\/p>\n

Rough-legged Hawks are known for kiting or hovering nearly motionless in the air while turning their head side to side to look for prey on the ground below them.<\/p>\n

This kiting Rough-legged Hawk<\/span><\/a> was over an area near the marina on the island when I photographed it while it searched for prey.<\/p>\n

Rough-legged Hawks will consume about a tenth of their weight per day so they spend a lot of time on the wing searching for prey on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Rough-legged Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rough-legged Hawks are known for kiting or hovering nearly motionless in the air while turning their head side to side to look for prey on the ground below them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":158671,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,1022,1087,26],"tags":[2663,4275,4052,4122,4005,4033,4169,4174,3970,4067,1156,2670,153,1648,4188,373,4193],"class_list":["post-34520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-davis-county-utah","category-rough-legged-hawks","category-utah","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-buteo-lagopus","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-great-salt-lake","tag-hawk","tag-hawks","tag-hovering-2","tag-hunting","tag-immature","tag-kiting","tag-light-morph","tag-raptors","tag-rough-legged-hawk","tag-shoreline","tag-winter","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-kiting-mia-mcpherson-9884.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-8YM","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":55634,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/01\/13\/eye-level-with-a-rough-legged-hawk-carrying-prey\/","url_meta":{"origin":34520,"position":0},"title":"Eye Level With A Rough-legged Hawk Carrying Prey","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 13, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Being at eye level with this Rough-legged Hawk carrying prey along the causeway to Antelope Island is an experience I won't soon forget.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rough-legged Hawk in flight with prey on a brisk December day, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/rough-legged-hawk-flight-mia-mcpherson-9353.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/rough-legged-hawk-flight-mia-mcpherson-9353.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/rough-legged-hawk-flight-mia-mcpherson-9353.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/rough-legged-hawk-flight-mia-mcpherson-9353.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4535,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/02\/26\/rough-legged-hawks-is-it-time-to-say-goodbye\/","url_meta":{"origin":34520,"position":1},"title":"Rough-legged Hawks – Is It Time To Say Goodbye?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 26, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I have had such amazing experiences with Rough-legged Hawks this winter. I've captured them in flight, preening, eating, hovering, kiting, resting and so much more.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rough-legged Hawk with tail spread while preening, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-preening-mia-mcpherson-1544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-preening-mia-mcpherson-1544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-preening-mia-mcpherson-1544.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-preening-mia-mcpherson-1544.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4041,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/01\/19\/rough-legged-hawk-kiting-being-bit-and-eating-on-the-fly\/","url_meta":{"origin":34520,"position":2},"title":"Rough-legged Hawk Kiting, Being Bit and Eating on the Fly","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"These images are from an afternoon just like that when I happened to find and point out a lovely Rough-legged Hawk on a breezy day.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rough-legged Hawk with vole and vegetation in flight, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/rough-legged-hawk-vole-mia-mcpherson-9358.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/rough-legged-hawk-vole-mia-mcpherson-9358.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/rough-legged-hawk-vole-mia-mcpherson-9358.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/rough-legged-hawk-vole-mia-mcpherson-9358.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":120091,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/24\/rough-legged-hawk-on-a-no-swimming-sign\/","url_meta":{"origin":34520,"position":3},"title":"Rough-legged Hawk On A No Swimming Sign","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 24, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"While looking for a photo to share this morning I found this immature Rough-legged Hawk on a No Swimming Sign with the snowy Wasatch Mountains in the background.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rough-legged Hawk on a No Swimming sign on the causeway to Antelope Island, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Rough-legged-Hawk-no-swimming-sign-ma-mcpheerson-9223.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Rough-legged-Hawk-no-swimming-sign-ma-mcpheerson-9223.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Rough-legged-Hawk-no-swimming-sign-ma-mcpheerson-9223.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Rough-legged-Hawk-no-swimming-sign-ma-mcpheerson-9223.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":74760,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/10\/19\/on-the-lookout-for-rough-legged-hawks\/","url_meta":{"origin":34520,"position":4},"title":"On The Lookout For Rough-Legged Hawks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm hoping that this week I'll be able to spot my first of the season Rough-legged Hawks and that I'll be able to get photos of them too. Fingers are crossed!","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Rough-legged Hawk perched on a snow-covered cliff, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-3435.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-3435.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-3435.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-3435.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61051,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/10\/28\/searching-for-rough-legged-hawks\/","url_meta":{"origin":34520,"position":5},"title":"Searching For Rough-legged Hawks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 28, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"It is currently the time of the year when I start looking for Rough-legged Hawks in northern Utah, the temps have dipped below freezing, there has been frost on the ground and now we've had our first snow.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rough-legged Hawk perched on a parking sign, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-parking-sign-mia-mcpherson-9707.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-parking-sign-mia-mcpherson-9707.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-parking-sign-mia-mcpherson-9707.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-parking-sign-mia-mcpherson-9707.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34520"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34520\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158671"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}