When you’re driving on the highway this winter, don’t forget to look up (only if you’re a passenger, of course!) Chances are you will see at least one hawk perched above the highway, deadly still and hyper focused. Of Virginia’s seven different types of hawks, the ones you will most likely see on the road are red-tailed hawks. These skilled hunters eat mostly mammals such as rodents and will even eat carrion (roadkill) or the occasional pigeon. Because of this, you are quite unlikely to see these hawks near your backyard feeders.
Adults are most commonly identified by their famous red tail and pale chest with a dark colored band across its midsection. In flight, they appear to have broad rounded wings and a short tail.
This can be a dangerous situation for both the driver and the raptor. Hawks are hyper-focused, skilled hunters that see nothing else when locked on prey. Unfortunately, that means they might not see a car heading straight for them. This leads to these beautiful animals being hit by cars.
To help avoid these collisions, please don’t throw anything out of the car. We all know it is against the law to litter, but some may not know that it is not safe for wildlife to throw organic matter either, especially on the highway. This includes apple cores, banana peels, etcetera. These foods attract rodents, which then attract birds of prey. If you’d like to dispose of these items appropriately, please consider composting or simply disposing of the items in a garbage can.
Drive safely and be aware of your surroundings. Please report any injured hawks to the Wildlife Rescue League Helpline at 703-440-0800.
Written by Catherine Raiff
