Great Black Hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga)

Order: Accipitriformes | Family: Accipitridae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

great-black-hawk
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Southeast Peru

great-black-hawk
Age: Juveniles | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Southeast Peru

great-black-hawk
Age: Adults | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Southeast Peru

great-black-hawk
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Amazonia, Brazil


Identification & Behavior: ~59 cm (23.3 in). The adult Great Black Hawk is overall blackish barred with gray on the flight feathers. The rump, uppertail coverts, and base of the tail are white. The juvenile is brown with shades of gray and black. It is similar to the Slate-colored Hawk, but is distinguished by being larger, having yellow cere and legs, and white uppertail coverts and base of the tail.  It is closely associated with riverine habitats in the Amazonian lowlands. The Great Black Hawk overlaps with the similar Solitary Eagle in Northwest Peru.

Status: The Great Black Hawk is common in Amazonia where it is known to range up to 900 m along the foothill of the Andes. It is also rare in the semi-deciduous forests of northwest Peru. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Gavilán Negro.

Sub-species: Great Black Hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga urubitinga), J. F. Gmelin 1788.

Meaning of Name: Buteogallus: Gr. Buteo= vulture, buzzard; and gallus= rooster. urubitinga: Tupi, Urubu= Indian name for a large black bird and tinga=white. May refer to the broad rump and uppertail white patch of this bird clearly seen when it flies.

See more of the Family Accipitridae   peru aves

Distribution Map
great black hawkVoice


References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 08/01/2015.