A common source of food for Redtails in my area is the Columbian Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus columbianus. They are available as prey from April until early August which coincides beautifully with the nesting and rearing season of the buteo. It is also the ground squirrels reproductive season which provided the fledgling Redtails with young, inexperienced prey.

These rodents are mainly herbivores but on occasion take advantage of insects, other small vertebrates and some birds. They are also a true hibernator.

I feed my growing hawklet an almost exclusive diet of harvested Columbian Ground Squirrels.