Alternative name: Variable Hawk
- Buteo polyosoma
Identification
Male: 18 - 20 in. Female: 20 - 22 in.
- White tail with black sub-terminal band
Male
- Grey back
- Grey or white underparts
Female: usually have a rufous back but may have either white or rufous underparts.
Distribution
South America: found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina and Falkland Islands.
Taxonomy
Subspecies[1]
Two subspecies are recognized:
- B. p. polyosoma - Andes of southern Colombia south to Tierra del Fuego, and Falkland Islands
- B. p. exsul - Juan Fernadez Islands, Chile
Habitat
Temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. Observed at heights around 3000 meters
Behaviour
Diet
This bird catches its prey on the wing, and eats mammals, birds, reptiles and snails. It likes to sit on the highest branches of trees or edges of ravines.
Breeding
It nests in treetops. The nest is large and made of dry sticks. The clutch generally consists of 2 white eggs with light reddish spots.
References
- Clements, JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019
- Avibase
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Variable Hawk. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Variable_Hawk
