Ferruginous hawks are North America's largest buteo, wintering in open grasslands and shrubsteppe of the southwestern US and Mexico — habitats under intense pressure from agriculture, energy development, and urbanisation.
Ferruginous hawks in areas with poisoned or extirpated prairie dog towns face prey depletion requiring extended foraging flights that deplete energy reserves. Leg-hold traps set for coyotes occasionally catch ferruginous hawks foraging at ground level, causing leg injuries requiring rehabilitation. Collision with wind turbines causes acute traumatic injury and death. Disturbance at nesting sites by all-terrain vehicles and human activity in breeding areas (the hawks also face challenges on breeding grounds) causes nest abandonment. Severe winters in prey-depleted areas cause starvation mortality.