Grey-lined Hawk

The Gray-lined Hawk, Buteo nitidus, presents itself as a modestly sized raptor, with adults typically spanning 46–61 cm in length and averaging a weight of 475 grams. Adorned in pale gray plumage, the adult's tail is a striking black with three white bands, and its legs boast a vibrant orange hue. The upper parts are finely barred with white, adding to its distinguished appearance.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Gray-lined Hawk, look for the characteristic pale gray body and the distinct black tail with white bands. The orange legs are also a key feature. Immature birds can be recognized by their dark brown upperparts and pale-banded brown tails, along with brown-spotted white underparts and a streaked buff head and neck. This species is noted for its short wings and agile flight, which is quite swift for a Buteo.

Habitat

This raptor favors open country and forest edges, where it can survey its territory from a high vantage point.

Distribution

The Gray-lined Hawk's range extends from El Salvador down through South America to Argentina, and it is also found on the Caribbean island of Trinidad.

Behaviour

The Gray-lined Hawk is known for its hunting strategy, which involves perching on an open high perch before swooping down on its prey. It is also known to hunt from a low glide.

Diet and Feeding

A versatile predator, the Gray-lined Hawk's diet mainly consists of lizards and snakes. However, it also preys on insects such as beetles and grasshoppers, small mammals like rabbits, squirrels, and mice, as well as birds including quails and nestling doves. Additionally, it will consume frogs, toads, other amphibians, and even fish.

Breeding

The Gray-lined Hawk constructs its nest from sticks, placed high within a tree. The typical clutch size ranges from one to three eggs, with two being the most common. These eggs are white to pale blue in color. The fledging period for the young hawks is approximately 6 weeks.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List has classified the Gray-lined Hawk as Least Concern, indicating that, currently, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers that would warrant a higher risk category.