Field Marks: 22 in. Most common large buteo in North America, and one of most widespread. Habitat varies from open country to open woodland; rarely in dense forest. Large with typical buteo shape: wings broad and rounded, tail broad and fanned. Plummage highly variable. Often soars. Darkest birds found mostly is West, wholly dark brown, variably marked rusty with indistinctly banded or mottled reddish to whitish tail. Palest birds (Great Plains) pale brown above, nearly white below, with indistinctly marked, rust-tinged tail. Typical adults brown above and on head; white below with variable dark belly band; rusty tail; dark leading inner edge on underwing. Immature variable, difficult to identify; usually brown above, white below with heavy spots and streaks; tail gray-brown, indistinctly banded. A loud, harsh scream, "keeeyerr" trailing off and dropping at end.
Range: Breeds from s. Alaska across Canada and south throughout United States. Winters from s. Canada south to Central America.