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[[Image:Rough-legged_Hawk.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|muskrat|muskrat}} <br / > Location: North-eastern [[Pennsylvania]]]]
[[Image:Rough-legged_Hawk.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|muskrat|muskrat}} <br / > Location: North-eastern [[Pennsylvania]]]]
;[[:Category:Buteo|Buteo]] lagopus
;[[:Category:Buteo|Buteo]] lagopus
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====Similar Species====
====Similar Species====
Can be told from [[Common Buzzard]] in flight by the whitish tail with the single dark bar at the end. Is more inclined to hover than Common or [[Honey Buzzard]].
Can be told from [[Common Buzzard]] in flight by the whitish tail with the single dark bar at the end. Is more inclined to hover than Common or [[Honey Buzzard]].
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[[Image:8D5J0695.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|birdimage|birdimage}}<br />[[Flevoland|Oostvaardersplassen]], Almere, [[Netherlands]] December 2008]]
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[[Image:Rough-legged_hawk_dark_phase_by_Marcel_Gauthier.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Dark phase; photo by {{user|Marcel_Gauthier|Marcel Gauthier}}<br />St-Armand, [[Quebec]], [[Canada]], March 2005]]
==Distribution==
==Distribution==
'''Breeds''' [[North America]], [[Canada]], [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]; most if not all populations are migratory, wintering south of the breeding areas. <br />
'''Breeds''' [[North America]], [[Canada]], [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]; most if not all populations are migratory, wintering south of the breeding areas. <br />
In North America breeds in the northern half of [[Canada]], wintering mainly in the [[USA]]. <br />
In North America breeds in the northern half of [[Canada]], wintering mainly in the [[USA]]. <br />
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In Europe breed in [[Scandinavia]] through northern [[Russia]], wintering mainly south of the Baltic Sea to [[the Balkans]] and east of that. Irregular winter visitor to east coast of [[England]], more regularly in [[Scotland]] and Northern Isles.
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In Europe breed in [[Scandinavia]] through northern [[Russia]], wintering mainly south of the Baltic Sea to The [[Balkans]] and east of that. Irregular winter visitor to east coast of [[England]], more regularly in [[Scotland]] and Northern Isles.
==Taxonomy==
==Taxonomy==
Four subspecies are recognized<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>: ''lagopus'', ''menzbieri'', ''kamtschatkensis'', and ''sanctijohannis''.
Four subspecies are recognized<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>: ''lagopus'', ''menzbieri'', ''kamtschatkensis'', and ''sanctijohannis''.
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Mostly wilder coastal areas; tundra, open prairies, farmland, marshes.
Mostly wilder coastal areas; tundra, open prairies, farmland, marshes.
==Behaviour==
==Behaviour==
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[[Image:8D5J0695.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|birdimage|birdimage}}<br />[[Flevoland|Oostvaardersplassen]], Almere, [[Netherlands]] December 2008]]
====Flight====
====Flight====
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Hunts harrier-like low over the ground. Glides with wings markedly angled at carpal joint.
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Hunts harrier-like low over the ground with frequent interludes of hovering. Glides with wings markedly angled at carpal joint.
====Diet====
====Diet====
Its diet includes small mammals such as rabbits, voles and lemmings.
Its diet includes small mammals such as rabbits, voles and lemmings.
53-63cm. Wings long and broad. Brown upperparts, paler, streaked head, brown-spotted white breast, and dark breast band. The legs are fully feathered. Wings are mostly pale below but in typical birds have a dark square at the base of the hand and in adults are dark-edged. Tail is white with one broad dark subterminal band and 0-5 additional narrow bands close the the subterminal band. In the American subspecies, a dark morph occurs where body and wingcoverts are completely dark but flight feathers and tail are quite typical, almost silvery white in this form. In all forms, a broad white uppertail is diagnostic (a narrow version of this can be seen in Common Buzzard) and most often, you should notice pale basis of primaries on the upperside of the wing.
Can be told from Common Buzzard in flight by the whitish tail with the single dark bar at the end. Is more inclined to hover than Common or Honey Buzzard.
BreedsNorth America, Canada, Europe and Asia; most if not all populations are migratory, wintering south of the breeding areas.
In North America breeds in the northern half of Canada, wintering mainly in the USA.
In Europe breed in Scandinavia through northern Russia, wintering mainly south of the Baltic Sea to The Balkans and east of that. Irregular winter visitor to east coast of England, more regularly in Scotland and Northern Isles.
Nests on cliff ledges, trees, or even on the ground in high tundra. Two to seven eggs are laid, incubation lasts 28-31 days and after a further 39-45 days, the young fledge.
Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
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