Grey-lined Hawk
Buteo nitidus
The Grey-lined Hawk (Buteo nitidus) is a common kites, old world vultures, eagles, and hawk found in 20 countries, weighing about 519 g. The gray-lined hawk is a smallish raptor found in open country and forest edges.
About the Grey-lined Hawk
The gray-lined hawk is a smallish raptor found in open country and forest edges. It is sometimes placed in the genus Asturina as Asturina nitida. The species has been split by the American Ornithological Society from the gray hawk. The gray-lined hawk is found from El Salvador to Argentina, as well as on the Caribbean island of Trinidad.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The gray-lined hawk is 46–61 cm (18–24 in) in length and weighs 475 g (16.8 oz) average. The adult has a pale gray body, the tail is black with three white bands and the legs are orange. It has fine white barring on the upper parts. Immature birds have dark brown upperparts, a pale-banded brown tail, brown-spotted white underparts and a brown streaked buff head and neck. This species is quite short-winged, and has a fast agile flight for a Buteo.
What the Grey-lined Hawk sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Grey-lined Hawk can be seen all year round, with peak activity in April. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Grey-lined Hawk?
- The gray-lined hawk is 46–61 cm (18–24 in) in length and weighs 475 g (16.8 oz) average. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Grey-lined Hawk?
- The Grey-lined Hawk is a large sized bird weighing about 519 g.
- Where can you see a Grey-lined Hawk?
- The Grey-lined Hawk occurs in 20 countries, including the United States, Costa Rica, Mexico, Belize and Honduras.
- What does a Grey-lined Hawk sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Grey-lined Hawk on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Grey-lined Hawk?
- The Grey-lined Hawk is most easily confused with the Ferruginous Hawk, the Short-tailed Hawk and the Zone-tailed Hawk.
- Is the Grey-lined Hawk endangered?
- The Grey-lined Hawk is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Grey-lined Hawk for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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