That species is larger and bulkier, with more even-sized, broad wings, and is paler underneath, with a reddish tail often apparent. This bird is sometimes also confused with the widespread red-tailed hawk. In direct comparison, it is typically larger and longer proportioned than the broad-wing, though is slightly smaller and more slender than most other common North American Buteo species. Juvenile red-shouldered hawks are most likely to be confused with juvenile broad-winged hawks, but can be distinguished by their long tails, crescent-like wing markings, and a more flapping, Accipiter-like flight style. The wings of adults are more heavily barred on the upper side. Western birds may appear more red, while Florida birds are generally paler. These hawks' upper parts are dark with pale spots and they have long yellow legs. Red "shoulders" are visible when the birds are perched. Their tails, which are quite long by Buteo standards, are marked with narrow white bars. Adults have brownish heads, reddish chests, and pale bellies with reddish bars. Adult birds can vary in mass from 460 to 930 g (1.01 to 2.05 lb). The wingspan can range from 90 to 127 cm (35 to 50 in). Females are slightly larger at 47 to 61 cm (19 to 24 in) in length and a mean weight of 700 g (1.5 lb). Males are 38 to 58 cm (15 to 23 in) long and weigh on average 550 g (1.21 lb). Red-shouldered hawk taking flight at Green Cay Wetlands, Florida elegans Cassin, 1855 – south Oregon (USA) to Baja California (Mexico) texanus Bishop, 1912 – south Texas (USA) to southeast Mexico extimus Bangs, 1920 – south Florida and the Florida Keys (USA) alleni Ridgway, 1885 – central south Texas to North Carolina and north Florida (USA) lineatus (Gmelin, 1788) – east North America The specific epithet lineatus is Latin meaning "marked with lines" or "lined". The genus name Buteo is Latin for a "buzzard". The red-shouldered hawk is now placed with 27 other species in the genus Buteo that was introduced in 1799 by Bernard Germain de Lacépède. Latham had described a preserved specimen from North America in the Leverian collection while Pennant's specimen formed part of the collection of Anna Blackburne and had come from Long Island. Gmelin based his account on the "barred-breasted buzzard" of John Latham and the "red shouldered falcon" of Thomas Pennant. He placed it with the eagles, hawks and relatives in the genus Falco and coined the binomial name Falco lineatus. The red-shouldered hawk was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. The main conservation threat to the widespread species is deforestation. It is a permanent resident throughout most of its range, though northern birds do migrate, mostly to central Mexico. Its breeding range spans eastern North America and along the coast of California and northern to northeastern-central Mexico. Some juveniles may continue to associate with their parents for up to six months after they leave the nest.The red-shouldered hawk ( Buteo lineatus) is a medium-sized buteo. The majority of juveniles don't start catching their own food until 6 to 7 weeks after they leave the nest, although some start sooner. At 42 to 46 days, the young leave the nest, but can't fly for another 2 to 3 weeks. During this time the male brings food, which the female tears up and feeds to the young. The female stays on the nest and broods the young for the first 30 to 35 days after they hatch. Both help incubate the 2 to 3 eggs for 28 to 32 days. Both sexes help build the nest, a bulky collection of sticks lined with bark and other fine material. In western Washington, the nest is usually in a hardwood tree, especially black cottonwood or red alder. The nest is built in a tall tree, often the tallest tree in a cluster, or on cliff ledges, towers, nest platforms, and occasionally buildings. At the beginning of the breeding season, they perform impressive aerial courtship flights, accompanied by shrill screams. Red-tailed Hawks are monogamous and may remain paired throughout the year.
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