This species is a large, broad-winged hawk of the open, arid grasslands, prairie and shrub steppe country; it is endemic to the interior parts of North America.

Among all the nearly thirty species of Buteo in the world, only the upland buzzard (B. hemilasius) of Asia averages larger in length and wingspan.

One description referred to the "wavering" alarm call and "breathy" notes, while other authors describe screams similar to those of the red-tailed hawk (B. jamaicensis).

Three prominent light areas on the upper surface stand out as two "windows" on the outer wings and a rufous rump mark, perhaps the most significant feature of a flying ferruginous hawk.

The countryside is open, level, or rolling prairies; foothills or middle elevation plateaus largely devoid of trees; and cultivated shelterbelts or riparian corridors.

One requisite of the habitat is perches such as poles, lone trees, fence posts, hills, rocky outcrops or large boulders.

Ferruginous hawks nest in trees if they are available, including riparian strips, but the presence of water does not appear to be critical to them.

In Alberta, on one study site, there was a stable density of one pair per 10 km2 (4 sq mi), on average with little deviation from this mean.

In Idaho, the average home range for four pairs of ferruginous hawk in the Snake River area was slightly over 5.2 km2 (2 sq mi).

Mammals generally comprise 80–90% of the prey items or biomass in the diet with birds being the next most common mass component.

The hunting tactics can be grouped into seven basic strategies:[15] In its "strike, kill, and consume" type of predation, the prey is seized with the feet and a series of blows may be meted out, including driving the rear talon into the body to puncture vital organs.

[20] Richardson’s ground squirrel (Urocitellus richardsonii) was the dominant prey item in ferruginous hawk diets in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan.

[22] Larger black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) is the main prey in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho, comprising 83% of the total biomass.

[24][25] Similarly, they can even regularly hunt young white-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii), one of the largest lagomorphs in North America, and adults weighing around 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) can be infrequently taken.

[16][26] In one instant, a pair of ferruginous hawks succeeds at killing a large jackrabbit about 3.63 kg (8.0 lb) in weight.

[27] Other lagomorph and rodent prey include various mouse such as eastern deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), voles such as montane voles (Microtus montanus), Townsend's ground squirrels (Urocitellus townsendii), western pocket gophers (Thomomys mazama), muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus), eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus), giant kangaroo rats (Dipodomys ingens), and antelope squirrels (Ammospermophilus).

The most frequently taken avian species are western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) and horned larks (Eremophila alpestris) along with other passerines, and dabbing ducks can be important prey at times.

[35] Conflicts over territories, food and nest-defense have been reported with several other large species of raptor and corvid, such as the great horned (Bubo virginianus) and short-eared owl (Asio flammeus), hen harrier (Circus cyaneus), red-tailed and Swainson's hawks (Buteo swainsonii), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), accipiters (Accipiter), ravens (Corvus), and magpies (Pica).

Among native raptorial birds, only larger eagles and similarly sized great horned owls can regularly outmatch this large and powerful hawk.

The "flutter-glide" flight consists of a series of shallow, rapid wing beats interspersed with brief glides and may serve to advertise the territory.

The "sky-dance" is stimulated by an intruder and consists of slow flight with deep, labored wing beats with irregular yawing and pitching that may terminate in steep dives.

The ferruginous hawk is one of the most adaptable nesters of the raptors, and will use trees, ledges, rock or dirt outcrops, the ground, haystacks, nest platforms, power poles, and other man-made structures.

Odd items such as paper, rubbish, barbed wire, cornstalks, plastic, and steel cable have been incorporated into nests.

The ferruginous hawk is single-brooded, and as in so many raptors, the number of young reared is tied closely to food supply.

Although flexible in choosing a nest site and exhibiting a high reproductive potential, this bird's restriction to natural grasslands on the breeding grounds and specialized predation on mammals persecuted on rangelands may make conservation a continuous concern.

Historically, the birds entirely disappeared from areas where agriculture displaced the natural flora and fauna; for example it was noted in 1916 that the species was "practically extinct" in San Mateo County, California.

Threats to the overall population include: The ferruginous hawk was on the National Audubon Society's "Blue List" of species felt to be declining.

The upswing was likely due to a greater availability of food on the wintering grounds, making the birds more likely to breed when they returned to Canada.

Maintenance of high populations of prey species in wintering areas seems critical to the hawks' abilities to move onto the summer range in breeding condition.

The ferruginous hawk is a well-regarded falconry bird, though not recommended for beginners due to its large size, power, and aggressive personality.