Gray-bellied Hawk (Accipiter poliogaster)

Identification & Behavior: ~40 cm (16 in). The adult Gray-bellied Hawk has a dusky head and gray rest of the upperparts. All the underparts are light gray. Some individuals show gray sides (cheeks) of the head. The juvenile has dusky back, rufous neck and part of the breast, and white belly spotted and barred with black. It is a confident large Accipiter that often perches on exposes branches. The juvenile Gray-bellied Hawk is strikingly similar to an adult Ornate Hawk-Eagle without a crest. Adults have a pale yellow iris. It is larger than the similar Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon. Also see, Short-tailed Hawk.

Status: The Gray-bellied Hawk’s status in Peru is poorly understood. Records fall within the Austral winter, which leads to the idea of it being an Austral migrant. However, the Gray-bellied Hawk has been recorded in the Austral summer in Ecuador. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Gavilán de Vientre Gris.

Sub-species: Gray-bellied Hawk (Accipiter poliogaster), Temminck 1824.

Meaning of Name: Accipiter: L. falcon, hawk. poliogaster: Gr. polios= gray; and gaster= stomach.

See more of the Family Accipitridae