- It is the most common year-round resident raptor in southern Arizona
- Known as a "highway hawk," it is frequently spotted perched on electric power poles or soaring over open fields
- They are large, bulky hawks with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail ... adults typically feature the signature brick-red tail, a white underbelly, and a dark "belly band" of streaks
- Their raspy, downward-slurring scream (kree-eee-ar) is the quintessential "raptor sound"
- Females are about 25% larger than males, a common trait in birds of prey ... they can weigh up to 3.5 lbs with a wingspan reaching nearly 4.5 feet
- They have extraordinary eyesight, capable of spotting a small rodent from 100 feet in the air
- They can live for more than 20 years; the oldest recorded wild individual reached over 30 years old