Red-tailed hawks can spot a mouse poking its head up through the grass from 100 feet high. That is a height equivalent to a 10-storey building.

Before this beautiful animal drops out of the sky, however, it may “kite,” or hover for a split second, drawing a final bead on its prey. Then it folds its four-foot wings and knifes down, opening its razor-sharp talons moments before impact.

With any luck, the hawk captures the mouse. If not, they press on.

Birding friends of mine have told me that red-tails and other birds of prey lead a difficult life, and that up to 50-60 percent of them die within the first year. Why? Starvation is a big killer, they say.

In addition, great horned owls and crows prey upon them as chicks, while others may tragically fall out the nest and die. Rehabilitative wildlife centers have also reported that many red-tailed hawks and other raptors have been admitted due to gunshot wounds (it is illegal to shoot birds of prey in all 50 states).

Vehicular trauma, injuries from steel leg-hold traps, eating rodents that have ingested rat poison and electrocution from power lines are some of the other awful challenges that these birds face.

The good news is many red-tails survive, breed, and may live up to 20 years in the wild.

Red-tailed hawks are the most common hawks in North America, breeding throughout the lower 48 states, Alaska and much of Central America. They are part of the Buteo genus of hawks, known for their broad wings and broad tails, enabling them to soar and hover over open fields and wooded areas, hunting for a variety of small rodents, like voles, mice, and squirrels, including rabbits, small birds, and snakes.

Another hawk genus is Accipiter, distinguished by long tails and short rounded wings, like Cooper’s hawks and sharp-shinned hawks. Falcons, with long tails and long pointed wings, are designed for speed. The peregrine falcon, for example, considered the fastest bird in the world, has been clocked diving 186 mph on its prey.

Unlike many other birds, the female red-tailed hawk is larger than the male. Why?

“The female does most of the incubation, and her larger body mass could make it easier for her to keep the eggs and the young chicks warm,” postulated David Allen Sibley, a well-known birder and wildlife painter.

“At the same time,” he added, “the male’s smaller size makes him quicker and more agile, allowing him to grab smaller prey … as he finds food for himself and the incubating female.”

Finally, next time you drive down I-95 and see a big, red-colored bird, with a creamy white chest, perched in a tree alongside the road, tip your hat to them. It is probably a red-tailed hawk, patiently hunting for mice.

Bill Hobbs lives in Stonington. He can be reached for comments at whobbs246@gmail.com.