Rough-legged Hawk

The Rough-legged Hawk is a large raptor with distinctive feathered legs. It displays variable plumage, typically featuring dark brown upperparts and pale underparts with dark belly patches. The tail is white with a dark terminal band.

Like many raptors, two color morphs exist, with the light morph being more common; a white or cream-colored head, breast, and belly with a brownish-black body. Dark morph rough-legged hawks are mostly dark blackish-brown, with pale trailing edges to the underwing and a heavily barred tail.

In both plumage variations, a major feature is the ‘rough legs’, dense feathering that extends down the legs to the toes.

Males are generally lighter in color than females. In flight, this hawk shows dark 'wrist' patches on its pale underwings. Juveniles resemble adults but may have more streaking on the underparts.

Rough-legged Hawks breed in Arctic and subarctic regions across North America and Eurasia, favoring open tundra and taiga habitats. They nest on cliffs or rocky outcrops in these northern landscapes.

During winter, they migrate south to temperate regions. In North America, they can be found across the northern United States and southern Canada, frequenting open grasslands, prairies, and agricultural areas.

In the UK, they are scarce and occasional winter visitors when food sources are in particularly short supply further north in Scandinavia. Locations on the east coast of England and northeast Scotland offer the best opportunities for a sighting.