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Kites, Hawks, Eagles

The Accipitridae family, consisting of species such as hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and some vultures, comprises 255 species across 70 genera. These birds of prey range from small to large with strongly hooked beaks and dining habits that include insects, medium-sized mammals, carrion, and occasionally fruit. They are found globally, except Antarctica, with some species exhibiting migratory behavior. Many members of the family exhibit sexual dimorphism, with females generally larger. Accipitrids possess acute vision and strong talons for hunting. They build nests in secure locations and often return to the same site, with breeding seasons varying in length. Eggs are laid at intervals, which can lead to siblicide as a survival strategy when resources are scarce. Young accipitrids fledge after an extended period compared to other birds and may roam for years before reaching maturity. The family displays a diverse array of plumage and size, and while most species are solitary hunters, some, such as the Harris's hawk, demonstrate cooperative hunting and nesting behavior. Molecular studies and fossil records suggest a rich evolutionary history dating back tens of millions of years, with modern genera identified since the Early Oligocene. The intricate relationships within the family and their phylogenetic placement continue to be a subject of scientific investigation.

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Categories

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African & New World Parrots
Albatrosses
Anhingas, Darters
Antbirds
Antpittas
Antthrushes
Auks
Austral Storm Petrels
Barn Owls
Black-capped Donacobius
Bushtits
Caracaras, Falcons
Cardinals & Allies
Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans
Chats, Old World Flycatchers
Cormorants, Shags
Cotingas
Cranes
Crows, Jays
Cuckoos
Dippers
Ducks, Geese, Swans
Finches, Euphonias
Finfoots
Flamingos
Frigatebirds
Gannets, Boobies
Gnatcatchers
Gnateaters
Goldcrests, Kinglets
Grebes
Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Herons, Bitterns
Hummingbirds
Ibises, Spoonbills
Jacamars
Jacanas
Kingfishers

Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Larks
Leaf Warblers & Allies
Limpkin
Longspurs, Snow Buntings
Loons
Manakins
Mitrospingid Tanagers
Mockingbirds, Thrashers
Motmots
New World Barbets
New World Quail
New World Sparrows
New World Vultures
New World Warblers
Nightjars
Northern Storm Petrels
Nuthatches
Oilbird
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
Olive Warbler
Oropendolas, Orioles, Blackbirds
Ospreys
Ovenbirds
Owls
Oystercatchers
Parrotbills & Allies
Pelicans
Penduline Tits
Penguins
Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Pheasants & Allies
Pigeons, Doves
Plovers
Potoos
Puffbirds
Rails, Crakes & Coots
Sandpipers, Snipes
Sapayoa
Shrikes
Silky-flycatchers
Skuas
Spindalises
Starlings, Rhabdornis
Stilts, Avocets
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
Storks
Sunbittern
Swallows, Martins
Swifts
Tanagers & Allies
Tapaculos
Thrushes
Thrush-tanager
Tinamous
Tits, Chickadees
Tityras, Becards, Sharpbill
Toucan Barbets
Toucans
Treecreepers
Trogons
Tropicbirds
Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
Wagtails, Pipits
Waxbills, Munias & Allies
Waxwings
Woodpeckers
Wrens
Wrenthrush
Yellow-breasted Chat
A photo of a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus
A photo of a Barred Hawk (Morphnarchus princeps)

Barred Hawk

Morphnarchus princeps

Bicolored Hawk

Accipiter bicolor
A photo of a Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus melanoleucus)

Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle

Spizaetus melanoleucus
A photo of a Black-collared Hawk (Busarellus nigricollis)

Black-collared Hawk

Busarellus nigricollis

Black Hawk-Eagle

Spizaetus tyrannus
A photo of a Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus
A photo of a Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus)

Common Black Hawk

Buteogallus anthracinus
A photo of a Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

Cooper's Hawk

Accipiter cooperii
A photo of a Crane Hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens)

Crane Hawk

Geranospiza caerulescens

Crested Eagle

Morphnus guianensis

Double-toothed Kite

Harpagus bidentatus
A photo of a Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)

Ferruginous Hawk

Buteo regalis
A photo of a Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos
A photo of a Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) , male

Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis
A photo of a Great Black Hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga)

Great Black Hawk

Buteogallus urubitinga

Grey-bellied Hawk

Accipiter poliogaster
A photo of a Grey Hawk (Buteo plagiatus)

Grey Hawk

Buteo plagiatus

Grey-headed Kite

Leptodon cayanensis

Grey-lined Hawk

Buteo nitidus
A photo of a Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja)

Harpy Eagle

Harpia harpyja
A photo of a Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)

Harris's Hawk

Parabuteo unicinctus
A photo of a Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus) , male

Hook-billed Kite

Chondrohierax uncinatus
A photo of a Long-winged Harrier (Circus buffoni)

Long-winged Harrier

Circus buffoni
A photo of a Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)

Mississippi Kite

Ictinia mississippiensis
A photo of a Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) , male

Northern Harrier

Circus hudsonius
A photo of a Ornate Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus ornatus)

Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Spizaetus ornatus

Pearl Kite

Gampsonyx swainsonii

Plumbeous Hawk

Cryptoleucopteryx plumbea
A photo of a Plumbeous Kite (Ictinia plumbea)

Plumbeous Kite

Ictinia plumbea
A photo of a Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Red-shouldered Hawk

Buteo lineatus
A photo of a Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis
A photo of a Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris)

Roadside Hawk

Rupornis magnirostris
A photo of a Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus)

Rough-legged Buzzard

Buteo lagopus
A photo of a Savanna Hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis)

Savanna Hawk

Buteogallus meridionalis
A photo of a Semiplumbeous Hawk (Leucopternis semiplumbeus)

Semiplumbeous Hawk

Leucopternis semiplumbeus
A photo of a Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus
A photo of a Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus)

Short-tailed Hawk

Buteo brachyurus

Slender-billed Kite

Helicolestes hamatus
A photo of a Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) , male

Snail Kite

Rostrhamus sociabilis

Solitary Eagle

Buteogallus solitarius
A photo of a Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)

Swainson's Hawk

Buteo swainsoni
A photo of a Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)

Swallow-tailed Kite

Elanoides forficatus

Tiny Hawk

Accipiter superciliosus

White-breasted Hawk

Accipiter chionogaster

White Hawk

Pseudastur albicollis
A photo of a White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus)

White-tailed Hawk

Geranoaetus albicaudatus
A photo of a White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)

White-tailed Kite

Elanus leucurus
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Species Categories

African & New World ParrotsAlbatrossesAnhingas, DartersAntbirdsAntpittasAntthrushesAuksAustral Storm PetrelsBarn OwlsBlack-capped DonacobiusBushtitsCaracaras, FalconsCardinals & AlliesChachalacas, Curassows, GuansChats, Old World FlycatchersCormorants, ShagsCotingasCranesCrows, JaysCuckoosDippersDucks, Geese, SwansFinches, EuphoniasFinfootsFlamingosFrigatebirdsGannets, BoobiesGnatcatchersGnateatersGoldcrests, KingletsGrebesGulls, Terns, SkimmersHerons, BitternsHummingbirdsIbises, SpoonbillsJacamarsJacanasKingfishersKites, Hawks, EaglesLarksLeaf Warblers & AlliesLimpkinLongspurs, Snow BuntingsLoonsManakinsMitrospingid TanagersMockingbirds, ThrashersMotmotsNew World BarbetsNew World QuailNew World SparrowsNew World VulturesNew World WarblersNightjarsNorthern Storm PetrelsNuthatchesOilbirdOld World Sparrows, SnowfinchesOlive WarblerOropendolas, Orioles, BlackbirdsOspreysOvenbirdsOwlsOystercatchersParrotbills & AlliesPelicansPenduline TitsPenguinsPetrels, Shearwaters, Diving PetrelsPheasants & AlliesPigeons, DovesPloversPotoosPuffbirdsRails, Crakes & CootsSandpipers, SnipesSapayoaShrikesSilky-flycatchersSkuasSpindalisesStarlings, RhabdornisStilts, AvocetsStone-curlews, Thick-kneesStorksSunbitternSwallows, MartinsSwiftsTanagers & AlliesTapaculosThrushesThrush-tanagerTinamousTits, ChickadeesTityras, Becards, SharpbillToucan BarbetsToucansTreecreepersTrogonsTropicbirdsTyrant Flycatchers, CalypturaVireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblersWagtails, PipitsWaxbills, Munias & AlliesWaxwingsWoodpeckersWrensWrenthrushYellow-breasted Chat

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