Alternative name Savannah Hawk
- Buteogallus meridionalis
Heterospizias meridionalis
Identification
46–64 cm (18-25¼ in); Long, broad wings and a short tail
- Cinnamon-rufous
- Mottled upper-parts
- Banding on under-parts
- Long yellow legs
- Iris: reddish-yellow to pale brown
- Yellow cere
Distribution
Panama and in South America from Colombia, Trinidad and Venezuela south to Uruguay and central Argentina.
Vagrant in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Resident.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species1. It was formerly placed in the genus Heterospizias2.
Habitat
Open country, forest edge, lakesides and swampy savanna. Usually observed up to 1000 m, sometimes higher.
Behaviour
They build the nest of sticks lined with grass in a palm tree. They lay a single white egg; the young fledge after 6 - 7 weeks.
Diet
A varied diet consisting of large insects, crabs, lizards, snakes and small mammals. They can hunt on foot, but will also swoop down on their prey from a high perch.
Several birds may gather to hunt after grass fires.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Feb 2018)
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Savanna Hawk. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 March 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Savanna_Hawk
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
