Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

For those of you who are faint of heart, this would be the time to avert your eyes. You are about to witness nature in all its merciless glory. This red-tailed hawk has made a lunch out of a Norther Flicker (Colaptes auratus). 

The Red-tailed Hawk is a member of the genus buteo, a group of large, deadly raptors. They typically prey on small rodents but will opportunistically pick off other birds. This Red-tailed Hawk is likely a member of the notable Pale Male dynasty that has ruled New York's Central Park for over two decades. Whereas the existence of an urban hawk was once a novelty, it is now quite common to spot one of these ruthless apex predators butchering the helpless migratory denizens of the Park.

Note the prominent red tail, brown head with pale undersides, and streaking on the belly that assist in identifying the species.