Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus)

Identification & Behavior: ~39 cm (15.3 in). The adult Short-tailed Hawk is blackish above and white below with a distinctive white throat. The tail is barred with gray with a black band bordered by a narrow pale terminal band. The dark morph is black with gray flight feathers barred with dusky; noticeable in flight. The Juvenile is white below and dusky brown above with a dusky head and pale eyebrow. It is superficially similar to the Variable Hawk with which may overlap in northwest Peru. The Short-tailed Hawk favors wooded and more humid areas. It is also similar to an adult White-browed Hawk.

Status: The Short-tailed Hawk is uncommon in Amazonia where it is known to range up to 1700 m along the east slope of the Andes. The Short-tailed Hawk is also uncommon in the semideciduous forests of extreme northwest Peru. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Aguilucho de Cola Corta.

Sub-species: Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus brachyurus), Vieillot 1816.

Meaning of Name: Buteo: Gr. vulture, buzzard. brachyurus: Gr. Brakhus= short and eouros, Oura= tail.

See more of the Family Accipitridae