{"id":74760,"date":"2020-10-19T06:08:34","date_gmt":"2020-10-19T12:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=74760"},"modified":"2025-10-01T14:04:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T19:04:25","slug":"on-the-lookout-for-rough-legged-hawks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/10\/19\/on-the-lookout-for-rough-legged-hawks\/","title":{"rendered":"On The Lookout For Rough-Legged Hawks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DarkDark morph Rough-legged Hawk resting on snow-covered ground<\/span><\/p>\n

When colder weather arrives here in northern Utah I know it is time for me to be on the lookout for Rough-legged Hawks.<\/p>\n

Another cold front is due to arrive here on Thursday and I’m sitting here wondering if it will be the front that pushes these arctic breeding hawks into areas where I can see them again.<\/p>\n

This year I’ve already been on the lookout scanning the skies, trees, power poles, cliff faces, and fence posts.<\/p>\n

\"ImmatureImmature Rough-legged Hawk perched on a snow-covered cliff<\/span><\/p>\n

Rough-legged Hawks breed in the Arctic tundra and taigas and when fall comes they head south for the winter.<\/p>\n

Rough-legged Hawks are one of two hawk species in North America that have feathered legs, Ferruginous Hawks also have feathered legs and are year round residents in Utah.<\/p>\n

\"HighHigh Key adult Rough-legged Hawk male<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve found that some Rough-legged Hawks are easily approachable and others will take flight when you are half a mile away.<\/p>\n

Others will spook if you slow down your vehicle or if your vehicle makes a stupid dinging noise when it comes to a stop.<\/p>\n

A few are very confiding and don’t seem phased by human presence at all.<\/p>\n

This male Rough-legged Hawk was getting ready to expel a pellet when I drove up on him in a foggy snow storm.<\/p>\n

\"ImmatureImmature Rough-legged Hawk looking over the marsh at Bear River MBR<\/span><\/p>\n

Rough-legged Hawks prefer open areas. I find these raptors most often in the desert, sagebrush, grasslands, fields, pastures, foothills, prairies, agricultural areas and marshes.<\/p>\n

I’ve never found one near a forest.<\/p>\n

\"ImmatureImmature Rough-legged Hawk carrying prey in its talons to a perch<\/span><\/p>\n

Rough-legged Hawks can hover in flight while hunting and then dive on their prey once they spot it on the ground. Here in northern Utah the prey I see them take most often are voles.<\/p>\n

\"ImmatureImmature Rough-legged Hawk diving towards prey<\/span><\/p>\n

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!<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

These Rough-legged Hawk images were taken at Antelope Island State Park, Farmington Bay WMA, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, and far northern Utah.<\/em><\/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":"

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!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":158838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[511,124,27,1148,1022,697,1087,26],"tags":[2663,4275,4478,4159,4052,4122,4033,4169,2386,4067,4094,4106,153,1648,373],"class_list":["post-74760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-rough-legged-hawks","category-utah","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-buteo-lagopus","tag-dive","tag-diving","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-hawk","tag-hawks","tag-hawks-of-utah","tag-immature","tag-marsh","tag-prey","tag-raptors","tag-rough-legged-hawk","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t