Ridgway's Hawk
Buteo ridgwayi
The Ridgway's Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) is a rare kites, old world vultures, eagles, and hawk found in 2 countries, weighing about 866 g. Ridgway's hawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae endemic to the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean.
About the Ridgway's Hawk
Ridgway's hawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae endemic to the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It is classified as Critically Endangered because of habitat destruction and human persecution in the Dominican Republic; however, due to conservation efforts, the population is now increasing.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
B. ridgwayi is a medium-sized, compact hawk, measuring 36–41 cm long. The adult has brown-grey upperparts and greyish barred underparts, with a reddish-brown wash, rufous-tinged thighs, and a black-and-white barred tail. The male is more grey than the female, and the legs and the base of bill are yellow.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, July, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Ridgway's Hawk?
- B. ridgwayi is a medium-sized, compact hawk, measuring 36–41 cm long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Ridgway's Hawk?
- The Ridgway's Hawk is a large sized bird weighing about 866 g.
- Where can you see a Ridgway's Hawk?
- The Ridgway's Hawk occurs in 2 countries, including the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
- What birds look similar to a Ridgway's Hawk?
- The Ridgway's Hawk is most easily confused with the Rufous-tailed Hawk, the Socotra Buzzard and the Red-necked Buzzard.
- Is the Ridgway's Hawk endangered?
- The Ridgway's Hawk is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Ridgway's Hawk for real
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