Red-tailed Hawk gliding toward a sign with wings level and eyes focused.

Witnessing a Red-tailed Hawk’s Art of Landing

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I recently had a great encounter with a Red-tailed Hawk at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oklahoma. This beautiful raptor was hunting along the auto tour road. I was lucky enough to catch the exact moment it came in for a landing.

Red-tailed Hawk gliding toward a sign with wings level and eyes focused.
The hawk stays focused on the perch as it begins its final approach.

Wildlife Notes

The hawk was perched on a road sign right next to the path. It seemed completely unbothered by the trucks passing by. I watched it leave its perch several times to swoop down into the grass. I couldn’t see exactly what it was hunting, but it was focused.

When a Red-tailed Hawk prepares to land, it uses its wings as large airbrakes. You can see the feathers spread wide to slow its momentum. It then stretches its legs and sharp talons forward to grip the surface. This bird performed that graceful move several times while I watched from my truck.

Red-tailed Hawk with wings cupped and tail flared to slow down for a landing.
Flaring the tail and cupping the wings helps the hawk drop its speed.

Photography Notes

I photographed this hawk from the driver’s seat of my truck. Using a vehicle as a blind is a great way to get close to raptors without spooking them. I used my Canon R5 for these shots.

The light was steady, but the action was fast. I had to keep my shutter speed high to freeze the motion of the wings during the landing. I prefer natural perches, but the behavior on this sign was too good to pass up.

Red-tailed Hawk touching a sign with its claws while wings remain outstretched.
Photographed just as the talons made contact, with the wings still fully open for balance.

Image Information:

  • Date: 02/02/24
  • Time: 10:26 AM
  • Camera: Canon EOS R5
  • Lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
  • ISO: 500
  • Aperture: 8
  • Shutter: 1/1250
  • Exposure Compensation: +0.7
  • Lens (mm): 500
  • Program Mode: Manual

Final Thoughts

Watching a bird of prey this closely is always a thrill. The way they control their flight right down to the last second is impressive. I plan to head back to the refuge soon to see if this hawk is still hunting the same stretch of road.

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