The Rough-legged Hawk is a visitor from the arctic tundra, appearing each winter over North American open country. Named for its feathered legs — an adaptation to cold climates shared with several arctic raptors — it frequently hovers in place while hunting, a behavior unusual among buteos. Like many arctic breeders, it nests on cliffs and follows lemming population cycles.
Habitat
Arctic tundra in summer; open fields and marshes in winter
Diet
Lemmings, voles, and other small mammals
How common
Uncommon
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