Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris)

Identification & Behavior: ~37 cm (14.5 in). The adult Roadside Hawk is mostly gray with rusty barring on the breast and belly. The iris is pale and the cere yellow.  Juveniles are mostly brown with faint streaking on the breast and faint barring on the belly. The primary flight feathers are rufous and are noticeable when the bird is in flight. It keeps a narrow tail during flight. The Roadside Hawk favors forest edges and open areas. It is similar to the Broad-winged Hawk but is distinguished by having a pale iris and rufous primary flight feathers. Also, see Double-toothed Kite.

Status: The Roadside Hawk is common and widespread in Amazonia where it is known to range at elevations up to 1600 m along the foothill of the Andes. It also occurs in the semideciduous forest of extreme southwest Peru. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Aguilucho Caminero.

Sub-species: Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris magnirostris), Gmelin 1788. Colombia S to W Ecuador, and S to Amazonian Brazil (R Madeira E to Atlantic coast).
(R. m. occiduus), Bangs 1911. E Peru, W Brazil (S of Amazon, W of R Madeira) and N Bolivia.
(R. m. saturatus), Sclater and Salvin 1876. S Peru and Bolivia, through Paraguay and SW Brazil (SW Mato Grosso).

Meaning of Name: Rupornis: Gr. Rhupos= dirt, dirty and Ornis= bird. magnirostris: L. magnus= big and rostris= nozzle.

See more of the Family Accipitridae