This hawk is the first hawk I’ve ever photographed! The light is really highlighting that red tail. Normally I see them when I’m driving or their cutting through the trees. This one was circling part of our creek so I had open space between me and the hawk. I typically don’t like shots from below, but the way the light is hitting the feathers is very special.
Like bald eagles, the only real difference between the sexes is their size. According to Cornell Lab’s posting on red-tailed hawks found here, although they have similar wingspans, the females are about 20% heavier. I think the red-tailed hawks are the easiest hawks to identify on the wing, because you can usually get a flash of red from the tail as they cross the sky.