Broad-winged Hawk
A species of Buzzards and Buteo Hawks Scientific name : Buteo platypterus Genus : Buzzards and Buteo Hawks
Broad-winged Hawk, A species of Buzzards and Buteo Hawks
Botanical name: Buteo platypterus
Genus: Buzzards and Buteo Hawks
Content
Description People often ask General Info
Description
The broad-winged hawk is a relatively small Buteo, with a body size from 32 to 44 cm (13 to 17 in) in length and weighing 265 to 560 g (9.3 to 19.8 oz). The tail is relatively short, measuring 14.5–19.0 cm (5.7–7.5 in) in length. The tarsus measures from 5.6 to 6.6 cm (2.2 to 2.6 in). As in most raptors, females are slightly larger than males. Broad-winged hawks have relatively short and broad wings, pointed at the end, which have a tapered appearance unique to the species. The wingspan can range from 74 to 100 cm (29 to 39 in), with the extended wing bone (standard measurement) measuring 22.7–30 cm (8.9–11.8 in). An adult's body is a dark brown with a white belly and chest containing horizontal barring. Its tail can be a dark grey-black with white lines along the middle, base, and tip. The young hawks have a slightly different coloring with more white and longitudinal barring instead of horizontal barring. The two types of coloration are a dark morph with fewer white areas and a light morph that is more pale overall. The light morph of this bird is most likely to be confused with the red-shouldered hawk, but it has a longer, more heavily barred tail and wings with a solid rufous color in the adult, which are usually distinctive. Rare dark morphs are a darker brown on both upperparts and underparts. Dark-morph short-tailed hawks are similar, but are whitish under the tail with a single subterminal band. 
Size
33-48 cm (13-19 in)
Colors
Brown
Black
Gray
White
Life Expectancy
12-18.3 years
Nest Placement
Tree
Clutch Size
1 - 5 eggs
Incubation Period
1 brood
Number of Broods
28 - 31 days
Nestling Period
35 - 42 days
Feeding Habits
Broad-winged Hawk predominantly feed on small mammals, amphibians, insects, reptiles, and bird nestlings. Engaging in perch-hunting from low branches and utility poles, they swoop to grasp prey from the forest floor or in the foliage, occasionally hunting mid-flight. Diet varies seasonally, focusing on mammals and nestlings during nesting season and more on invertebrates and cold-blooded animals in winter. They meticulously prepare certain prey, removing skins and plumes, rarely needing to drink due to water obtained from their prey.
Habitat
Broad-winged Hawk favor dense deciduous or mixed forests for breeding, often seen near water sources or forest clearings, away from human disturbance. They thrive at altitudes up to 2,000 m, requiring a blend of wetlands and meadows for foraging. During migration, vast flocks, termed kettles, soar on thermals. They winter in similar habitats, from southern Mexico to South America, including tropical forests and scrublands. Some reside year-round in the Caribbean's forests and avoid saltwater crossings. Habitat preference includes edges of tropical and cloud forests, arid tropical scrubs, and hardwood stands in mangrove and avocado groves.
Nest Behavior
Broad-winged Hawk pairs may reuse old nests or renovate others', with the female building the nest using materials carried in talons or beak, aided by the male. Nest construction spans 2-4 weeks, leading to egg-laying and shared incubation duties. Parental care extends to both birds aiding in the rearing of the young.
Nest Characteristics
Broad-winged Hawk's nests are typically found in the lower third of the canopy of various deciduous and coniferous trees. They prefer the first main crotch of a deciduous tree or against a conifer's trunk. The structure, made primarily from dead sticks, may incorporate corn husks, moss, grapevine, and other materials, measuring 12–21 inches wide and 5–12 inches high, with an inner cup of 6–7 inches wide and 1–3 inches deep.
Dite type
Carnivorous
People often ask
General Info
Sounds
Call
Recording location: Panama
Call
Recording location: Venezuela
Behavior
Broad-winged Hawk typically engage in brief flights among trees within their forest habitat, a behavior likely related to territorial defense during breeding season. These hawks also participate in 'sky-dancing' aerial displays as part of their courtship rituals, showcasing a striking plummet towards the earth. Nesting territory is aggressively defended against both conspecifics and other raptors, with nests deliberately spaced to minimize competition. A notable aspect of broad-winged Hawk's life cycle is their social behavior during migration; they form massive flocks that can comprise thousands of individuals, including other raptor species, a remarkable contrast to their otherwise solitary nature.
Distribution Area
Broad-winged hawks have a wide range in North America and South America, from southern Canada to southern Brazil. Their breeding range is in the northern and eastern parts of North America, and some migrate in the winter to Florida, southern Mexico, and northern South America. Five subspecies are endemic to the Caribbean and do not migrate. Those subspecies that do migrate fly in flocks of more than 40 up to several thousand at heights from 550 to 1,300 m (1,800 to 4,270 ft). They soar using thermals to carry them through their journey of 3,000–6,000 km (1,900–3,700 mi). Fall migration lasts for 70 days as birds migrate about 100 km (62 mi) per day from North America, through Central America to South America without crossing salt water. The enormous flocks of soaring broad-winged hawks are termed kettles and are characteristic of many hawk migration spectacles in North America, such as at Hawk Cliff in Ontario, Hawk Ridge in Minnesota, Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania, and the River of Raptors in Veracruz. Broad-winged hawks stay in areas up to an elevation around 2,000 m (6,600 ft). They breed in deciduous forests good for nesting and forage primarily in wetlands and meadows. While some birds have acclimatized themselves to living near humans, even those birds avoid human settlements and interactions. In the winter, the migrating subspecies of the hawks seek out similar conditions to their overwintering home, so they settle in deciduous and mixed forests. Although it is declining in some areas because of forest fragmentation, its numbers are relatively stable and is assessed as least concern on the IUCN Red List.
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
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