Ferruginous Hawk – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Overview

Species Common Name Ferruginous Hawk
Species Scientific Name Buteo regalis
Federal Listing Status Species of Concern
State Listing Status Sensitive

Ecoregions

Blue Mountains

Located in NE Oregon, the Blue Mountains ecoregion is the largest ecoregion in the state. It provides a diverse complex of mountain ranges, valleys, and plateaus that extend beyond Oregon into the states of Idaho and Washington.

Columbia Plateau

The Columbia Plateau ecoregion was shaped by cataclysmic floods and large deposits of wind-borne silt and sand earlier in its geological history. It is dominated by a rolling landscape of arid lowlands dissected by several important rivers, and extends from the eastern slopes of the Cascades Mountains, south and east from the Columbia River to the Blue Mountains.

Northern Basin and Range

The Northern Basin and Range ecoregion covers the very large southeastern portion of the state, from Burns south to the Nevada border and from the Christmas Valley east to Idaho. It is largely a high elevation desert-like area dominated by sagebrush communities and habitats.

Special needs

Ferruginous Hawks are found in open, arid landscapes. They typically use grassy areas and shrub-steppe with scattered shrubs or trees for perching and nesting. Suitable nest sites may be located in scattered juniper trees, cottonwood trees near small streams, or on rocky sites with an expansive view. They also nest on rimrock or undisturbed ground. Ferruginous Hawks have large home range requirements and are vulnerable to human presence and disturbance.

Limiting factors

Populations fluctuate based on prey availability. Ferruginous Hawks are sensitive to human disturbance during the nesting season. Loss of mature juniper trees in suitable nesting areas and conversion of juniper savannah to juniper woodland due to fire suppression can adversely affect this species.

Data gaps

Investigate relationships with prey species, especially in agricultural landscapes. Evaluate the impacts of wind energy development on Ferruginous Hawks.

Conservation actions

Provide diverse herbaceous and low shrub vegetation to support prey populations (e.g., jackrabbits and ground squirrels). Maintain known and potential nest trees (e.g., mature juniper). Minimize human disturbance, including rodent control and chemical applications, within 0.6 miles of active nest sites from March 5-June 15. At priority sites, work cooperatively with agricultural landowners to maintain an average field size of <40 acres and >25% of nesting areas in natural vegetation.

Key reference or plan

Washington State Recovery Plan for the Ferruginous Hawk