Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus, also known as the rough-legged buzzard in much of the EU, photographed near Presho, South Dakota, USA.
Image: Terry Sohl, 12 February 2011 [velociraptorize].
Canon 50D, 400 5.6L lens
Question: What is this North American mystery bird doing?
Response: This is an adult rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus. Four subspecies of this large hawk occur throughout its circumpolar range -- this species is distributed throughout taiga, coastal tundra and montane regions of the northern hemisphere. These raptors are beneficial to farmers because they specialise on hunting rodents.
This particular individual is indulging in a wing stretch.
You are invited to review all of the daily mystery birds by going to their dedicated graphic index page.
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