The Four Keys to ID
- Size & Shape
A fairly small hawk with broad wings and long secondaries, giving a bulging outline to the trailing edge of the wing. Despite its common name, the tail is not particularly short compared to other buteos.
Relative Size
Larger than a Mississippi Kite, slightly smaller than a Red-shouldered Hawk; similar in size to Broad-winged Hawk.
between crow and gooseMeasurements
- Both Sexes
- Length: 15.3-17.3 in (39-44 cm)
- Weight: 13.6-16.9 oz (385-480 g)
- Wingspan: 32.7-40.5 in (83-103 cm)
© Jorge Torres Apolo / Macaulay Library
- Color Pattern
Like many hawks, has two color morphs. Dark morphs are rich blackish brown overall, with a banded tail and pale barring in the flight feathers. The light morph is dark brown above, neat white below, with a white throat. Tail and flight feathers from below are sparsely barred. Juveniles are streaked below (light morph) or faintly spotted (dark morph), with more tail bands than adults. In Florida population, dark morphs are more common than light morphs.
© Dick Murray / Macaulay Library - Behavior
Soars high in the air, following forest edges. When hunting, often turns into the wind to hover (or kite) before diving steeply to take birds from their perches. Adult male performs flight displays over territory.
- Habitat
Breeds in dense, tall forest of many types. Winters in swamp forests, pine savannas, mangroves, coastal marshes, prairies, pastures, and towns.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay Library
Regional Differences
North American nesters belong to subspecies fuliginosus, which is medium brown above (in the light morph), with brown at the side of the neck, unlike South American brachyurus, which is quite black above and lacks brown on the neck.
