Largest Buteo & Smallest Falcon

These two Colorado raptors are very far apart in size, habits, and taxonomy, but they both utilize the short-grass prairie, and the trees that manage to find enough water to grow in this arid landscape.
The ferruginous hawk in the first half of the video, is the largest "buteo" or soaring hawk, in the US. They have feathers all the way down to the tops of their feet, unlike their close cousin, the red-tailed hawk. Ferruginous hawks specialize in hunting prairie dogs, with shorter toes than red-tails, and a huge "gape", or opening of the mouth. Occasionally they look like they are smiling when viewed up close, but the wide gape serves two important purposes: it allows them to swallow a prairie dog skull whole, and also permits them to cool themselves very effectively when they pant. It gets VERY hot on the prairie in the summer months, and shade can be difficult to find.
On the other end of the spectrum, we find the American kestrel, the smallest US falcon. Weighing around four ounces, this tiny raptor lives in Colorado year-round, managing to hunt mice and small birds in the winter in sub-zero temperatures. This beautiful male (which we can discern from his gray wings, and rusty tail with only a single subterminal black band) is an excellent contrast to the chunky buteo, with his long tail, and elegantly pointed wings. Though he cannot dive or "stoop" at 150 mph to hunt birds, like his larger relative the peregrine falcon, he is a master at hovering. A kestrel's long tail acts as a counterbalance, allowing it to stay in one spot to watch for summer prey, such as insects and reptiles, in addition to birds and mammals.