Rough-legged Hawk

Buteo lagopus

Breeds in the Arctic and feathers all the way down its legs. Winters where most hawks have already left.

Habitat: Breeds on open Arctic/subarctic tundra and taiga; winters in open grasslands, prairies, marshes, and agricultural fields
Fun fact: The Rough-legged Hawk is one of the few raptors that regularly hunts by hovering in place over open ground on beating wings before dropping onto small mammals below, and its "lagopus" (hare-foot) name refers to its feathered legs, an adaptation for the cold Arctic tundra where it breeds.
Range: Circumpolar (nearly holarctic) — breeds across Arctic North America, northern Europe, and northern Asia (roughly 48–76°N); winters south into the temperate United States, southern Canada, central Europe, and central Asia
Diet: Primarily small mammals, especially lemmings and voles (up to 80–90% of diet seasonally), with occasional small birds (including ptarmigan), insects, and, when rodents are scarce, larger prey like rabbits/prairie dogs
Size: 0.53 m
Wingspan: 1.34 m
Lifespan: 18 years

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