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Mangrove Black Hawk (1 Viewer)

david kelly

Drive-by Birder
Scotland
I am curious about this species and its separation from Common Black Hawks. I was in Costa Rica in April 2000 and saw Common Black Hawks on the Caribbean coast. When we stopped at the Rio Tarcoles bridge on the Pacific side I saw what I think was a Common Black Hawks. I also saw a Common Black Hawk at Manuel Antonio. Other trip reports I have read indicate that Mangrove Black Hawks are more likely at Tarcoles but Stiles, Skutch and Gardner do not recognise this species at all. Ferguson Lees does recognise the species but states that Common Black Hawks occur on both coasts and mangrove Black Hawk is restricted to mangroves, backing up my initial id made in ignorance of the existence of Mangrove Black Hawk.

I am going to Panama in December and would like to be able to be sure what kind of Black Hawk I am seeing, especially as I've not seen Great Black hawk either.
 
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Mangrove Black-hawk is often very hard to distinguish from Common Black-hawk. Often (but not always!) it can be told from Common Black-hawk by more rufous on wing, especially near base of primaries. However, the main feature is size, Mangrove being smaller than Common. Having said this, there is some overlap in both the above features, so they are not always useful. In Panama Magrove Black-hawk has been recorded in other habitats than mangroves. I do not know if this is also the case in Costa Rica.
 
I think we did them in Mexico last year but they were very similar and one or tother may be being overlooked.......don't think we realised the situation immediately either....might have been call that alerted us if i remember rightly....

I will have a look at my notes when i get home from school tonight
 
One of the main features is the amount of rufous on the upperparts. Mangrove Black Hawks seem to be very approachable, so this feature is often quite easy to see. Juvenile common black hawk has a dark malar stripe, which I believe mangrove black hawk does not have.
I have included a few photos below. The last one is not identified with certainty yet. When I first saw the bird I though it was a common Black Hawk (inland in dry tropical forest). However, when I got the photos back, I realsied that the tail seemed too long for that species and that it could in fact be Great Black Hawk. I would welcome any comments.
Tom
 

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  • Com Bl Hawk Cue y Sal Aug 03 Honduras.JPG
    Com Bl Hawk Cue y Sal Aug 03 Honduras.JPG
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  • Mang. Black Hawk Bah de Jiquil Feb 04 El Salvador.JPG
    Mang. Black Hawk Bah de Jiquil Feb 04 El Salvador.JPG
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  • Mang. Black Hawk Bah de Jiquil Feb 04 El_Salvador.JPG
    Mang. Black Hawk Bah de Jiquil Feb 04 El_Salvador.JPG
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  • Poss Great Black Hawk El Imposible Dec 03 El Salvador.JPG
    Poss Great Black Hawk El Imposible Dec 03 El Salvador.JPG
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Tom,

I'm rather (note; "rather"!) sure your last photo is indeed a Great Black-hawk. One thing is, as you mention, tail length. Also, it does appear as if there is a bit of white close to the rump, perhaps indicating a small white terminal-band, typical, but often very hard to see, of Great.
The lores also appears (though this is obviously very hard to tell for sure) to be rather bluish-grey (not yellow), thereby again pointing towards Great Black-hawk.
It would have been nice to see the tights, where indistinct small white barring would have been a good feature for Great, though not present in all individuals. The legs of Great are supposed to be longer, but this is not a feature I have ever used myself.

Remember that the above info is regarding the ssp. ridgewayi of Central America. The nominate ssp. of Great Black-hawk found in South America is somewhat different (note; nominate also found in eastern Panama, with ssp. ridgewayi in western) .
 
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