This is a very large buteo. On light morph individuals, the head appears mostly white with rufous and black streaking. The back and wing coverts are rufous with dark markings, while the flight feathers and primary coverts are dark. Underparts are mostly white with scattered rufous speckles. The tail is white or very pale gray, with a diffuse rusty band on the upperside near the tip. The legs are feathered all the way down to the feet with rufous, barred with black. Rare dark morph birds are blackish with a rusty cast. The tail is pale gray. In flight, pale primary bases form large white windows on the upper surface of the wings. Undersides of flight feathers and tail are white in all plumages. Rusty legs are obvious on light morph birds. Light morph juveniles in flight lack rufous tones of adult and show fine barring on tail.

Length: 56 (cm) Wingspan: 135 (cm)

Voice:

Voice: A gentle kreee-ah.

Habitat:

Short-grass prairie, steppe, desert.

Behavior:

In winter, sometimes forms small groups in areas with sufficient prey.

Feeding:

Dependent on jackrabbits and cottontails in western part of range, prairie dogs and ground squirrels in the east.