Family Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae)
Least Concern
Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)
Taxonomy
French: Buse de Harris German: Wüstenbussard Spanish: Busardo mixto
Other common names:
Bay-winged Hawk
Taxonomy:
Falco unicinctus
Temminck
, 1824,Boa Vista, western Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Subspecies and Distribution
P. u. harrisi
(Audubon, 1837) – Harris's Hawk – SW USA (S California to Texas) through Mexico and Central America (at least Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica) to W Colombia (Cauca Valley) and drier Pacific slope regions of Ecuador and Peru.
P. u. unicinctus
(Temminck, 1824) – Bay-winged Hawk – N Colombia and N Venezuela, E Bolivia and E & S Brazil (S from Maranhão and Ceará) to Paraguay, Argentina (S to Chubut) and Chile (mainly from Coquimbo S to N Aisén).
Descriptive notes
45–59 cm; male 550–877 g, female 825–1200 g; wingspan 92–121 cm. Blackish to deep sooty brown overall, with shoulders, thighs and underwing-coverts... read more
Voice
Typical call is a hoarse, raspy caracara-like scream “krraaahhh”. Also gives a series of higher-... read more
Habitat
Seasonally dry desert, Chaco and savanna, sometimes in swampy areas, often near large waterbodies... read more
Food and feeding
Mostly mammals, including large prey, e.g. rabbits and, to lesser extent, larger black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus);... read more
Breeding
Co-operative breeding in some populations of SW USA, but not recorded elsewhere; in S Texas, 56% of 73 occupied breeding territories... read more
Movements
Somewhat unclear. In general sedentary, but may be nomadic at limits of range; Texas population... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Common to locally common in many parts of extensive range; no well-supported estimates of global population size, but total... read more
Races distinctive, differing in size, relative tail length and plumage, and in distinctness of juvenile (nominate juvenile very different from adult; harrisi juvenile much closer to adult)#R. Population of SW USA and NW Mexico described as separate race, superior, but not generally accepted. Two subspecies normally recognized.