Bird Guide

Black-breasted Buzzard vs Hawaiian Hawk

Black-breasted Buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon)

Black-breasted Buzzard

Hamirostra melanosternon

Large1.2 kgWoodland

Intermediate in body size between the well-known larger wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax) and the smaller little eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides), the black-breasted buzzard is one of Australia's largest birds of prey and one of the world's largest kites alongside the red kite, which is slightly less heavy but has a longer total length. An adult black-breasted buzzard measures 51 to 61 cm (20 to 24 in) in height including its short square tail.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ursina Gringer · CC BY 4.0
Hawaiian Hawk (Buteo solitarius)

Hawaiian Hawk

Buteo solitarius

Large501 gForest

The Hawaiian hawk measures approximately 40 to 46 centimetres (16 to 18 in) in length. The female, which weighs 605 g (21.3 oz) on average, is larger than the male, which averages 441 g (15.6 oz). Two color phases exist: a dark phase (dark brown head, breast, and underwings), and a light color phase (dark head, light breast and light underwings). Feet and legs are yellowish in adults and greenish in juveniles. During breeding season one of the pair, possibly the female, has a distinctive yellow forecap area just above the upper mandible.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Hawaiian Hawk
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call · Zamora-Chinchipe: left bank Río Numpatakaime (C. Plateado trail camp 1), Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bob Walker · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-breasted Buzzard and Hawaiian Hawk.