{"id":81500,"date":"2021-03-15T06:41:43","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T12:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=81500"},"modified":"2024-08-08T03:49:02","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T08:49:02","slug":"it-is-red-tailed-hawk-nesting-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/03\/15\/it-is-red-tailed-hawk-nesting-season\/","title":{"rendered":"It Is Red-tailed Hawk Nesting Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Red-tailedRed-tailed Hawk adult lifting off from a juniper<\/span><\/p>\n

Red-tailed Hawk<\/span><\/a> nesting season has started in northern Utah and I found a few pairs yesterday morning that have already gotten busy with nest building. My observation skills paid off when I found several Red-tailed Hawks in desert habitat and on or near cliffs.<\/p>\n

After more than a week without being in the field it felt marvelous to be out again, to be successful at finding birds to photograph, and to relax with nature all around me. I needed to be there. I was starting to get cabin fever.<\/p>\n

The air was clear, the temps were comfortable, and even though there were some clouds in the sky I basically had pretty good light while I photographed and observed the Red-tailed Hawks.<\/p>\n

At least four of the birds of prey had paired up. One of the mated pairs were busy with nest construction and the other pair I found perched side by side not far from their newly refurbished nest.<\/p>\n

Click the first image below to start a slide show or use your mouse to scroll through the photos.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Adult<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Adult<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\"Red-tailed<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Pair<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\"Adult<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Adult<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\"Adult<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Red-tailed<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Having all of these Red-tailed Hawks in my viewfinder was a joy. I hope that they have a successful nesting season and that in a few months that I will be able to photograph their young.<\/p>\n

As a side note for those who are interested, I did see one long distance view of a Turkey Vulture<\/span> <\/a>yesterday and I was excited about seeing it in flight. I have been waiting for them to show up.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"AdultAdult Red-tailed Hawk in flight on a March morning<\/span><\/p>\n

I looked and looked for the beautiful, rufous female Red-tailed Hawk<\/span><\/a> that I have photographed nesting and rearing her young in previous years but came up empty. I hope that she has only moved on and found a new nesting area.<\/p>\n

Spring has arrived for the Red-tailed Hawks here in northern Utah. It also feels like spring to me!<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Red-tailed Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/h2>\n

Please don\u2019t ask me where these nests are. I don\u2019t divulge nest locations, especially owl or raptor nests, unless they are well known. I don\u2019t 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Red-tailed Hawk nesting season has started in northern Utah and I found a few pairs yesterday morning that have already gotten busy with nest building.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":132069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1148,449,26],"tags":[4004,2663,4008,4170,2497,5131,5100,4098,4052,4122,4033,4169,3914,4075,3976,4450,153,4209,165,30],"class_list":["post-81500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-red-tailed-hawks","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-box-elder-county","tag-buteo-jamaicensis","tag-buteos","tag-cliff","tag-cliff-face","tag-desert","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-hawk","tag-hawks","tag-juniper","tag-nest","tag-nesting","tag-nesting-season","tag-raptors","tag-red-tailed-hawk","tag-spring","tag-utah-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-perched-on-cliff-mia-mcpherson-7464.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-lcw","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":100286,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/02\/28\/desert-red-tailed-hawk-it-is-nest-building-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":81500,"position":0},"title":"Desert Red-tailed Hawk – It Is Nest Building Time","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 28, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Among the birds I found was a desert dwelling Red-tailed Hawk adult who was busy refurbishing a nest on a cliff face.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-tailed Hawk resting on a cliff face in bitter cold temps, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-cliff-face-desert-mia-mcpherson-5336.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-cliff-face-desert-mia-mcpherson-5336.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-cliff-face-desert-mia-mcpherson-5336.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-cliff-face-desert-mia-mcpherson-5336.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":82025,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/03\/22\/mated-red-tailed-hawk-pair\/","url_meta":{"origin":81500,"position":1},"title":"Mated Red-tailed Hawk Pair","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week I spotted and photographed a mated Red-tailed Hawk pair on the branches of a tree in front of a cliff in early morning light.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Red-tailed Hawk looking for nesting material, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-male-light-morph-mia-mcpherson-9672.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-male-light-morph-mia-mcpherson-9672.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-male-light-morph-mia-mcpherson-9672.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-male-light-morph-mia-mcpherson-9672.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56673,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/03\/17\/nesting-red-tailed-hawks-plus-guidelines-on-photographing-nesting-birds\/","url_meta":{"origin":81500,"position":2},"title":"Nesting Red-tailed Hawks – Plus Guidelines On Photographing Nesting Birds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 17, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Close up of a male Red-tailed Hawk in flight, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/red-tailed-hawk-flight-close-up-mia-mcpherson-0725.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/red-tailed-hawk-flight-close-up-mia-mcpherson-0725.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/red-tailed-hawk-flight-close-up-mia-mcpherson-0725.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/red-tailed-hawk-flight-close-up-mia-mcpherson-0725.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7872,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/03\/16\/wierd-canada-geese-behavior-and-a-red-tailed-hawk-building-a-nest\/","url_meta":{"origin":81500,"position":3},"title":"Weird Canada Geese Behavior And A Red-tailed Hawk Building A Nest","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 16, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The weird Canada Geese behavior on the top of the cliff led me to finding a Red-tailed Hawks nest though and I am tickled about that.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-tailed Hawk on the nest in Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-nest-mia-mcpherson-0785.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-nest-mia-mcpherson-0785.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-nest-mia-mcpherson-0785.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/red-tailed-hawk-nest-mia-mcpherson-0785.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":107573,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/10\/28\/desert-red-tailed-hawk-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":81500,"position":4},"title":"Desert Red-tailed Hawk Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 28, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"While I was up in far northern Utah looking for birds last week, I took quite a few Red-tailed Hawk photos. I shared one image a few days ago and here are a few more.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Red-tailed Hawk taking off from a cliff, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/red-tailed-hawk-immature-desert-mia-mcpherson-2032.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/red-tailed-hawk-immature-desert-mia-mcpherson-2032.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/red-tailed-hawk-immature-desert-mia-mcpherson-2032.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/red-tailed-hawk-immature-desert-mia-mcpherson-2032.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38622,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/20\/cliff-face-and-a-banking-red-tailed-hawk\/","url_meta":{"origin":81500,"position":5},"title":"Cliff Face and a Banking Red-tailed Hawk","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 20, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"This banking Red-tailed Hawk is one of the pair that are busy building their nest and making nearby forays to find nesting materials.","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Banking Red-tailed Hawk adult, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-flight-box-elder-county-mia-mcpherson-9596.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-flight-box-elder-county-mia-mcpherson-9596.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-flight-box-elder-county-mia-mcpherson-9596.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-flight-box-elder-county-mia-mcpherson-9596.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\/81500","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=81500"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81500\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}