The Great Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) is a large, dark-colored raptor found primarily in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. It is a member of the Accipitridae family, which includes hawks, eagles, and kites. Adults are characterized by their slaty black or very dark sooty gray plumage, short tail with a single broad white band and white tip, and yellow legs.

Distinguishing Features of the Great Black Hawk

1. Plumage: Adults have slaty black or very dark sooty gray plumage, while juveniles have spotting and streaks on their dark brown upperparts and dark blotches on their buff to whitish underparts.
2. Tail: The Great Black Hawk has a short tail with a single broad white band and white tip, which distinguishes it from the Common Black Hawk and Solitary Eagle.
3. Legs: The Great Black Hawk has yellow legs, which is a key feature in identifying this species.
4. Wings: Juveniles have broad and long wings with black wingtips and many dark narrow bands on their wings and tail, as well as pale panels on their outer wings. Immatures can be strongly mottled in black and buff.
5. Call: The Great Black Hawk has a high-pitched and squeaky klee call, which it repeats a few times, making it easily identifiable.
6. Size: The Great Black Hawk is slightly larger than the Zone-tailed Hawk and has fewer white bars on its tail.

Habitat and Behavior

Image source: Great Black Hawk by Bernard DUPONT

Great Black Hawks are habitat specialists that generally stay close to water, such as wooded streams, freshwater swamps, marshes, and riparian forests in deserts and canyons. They are creative hunters, often wading in shallow water and fluttering their wings to startle prey before using their wings to “herd” prey into shallower water where it is easier to capture.

Identification Compared to Similar Species

When it comes to identifying the Great Black Hawk, there are a few key features to look for that distinguish it from other similar species:

1. Common Black Hawk: The Great Black Hawk has a proportionally longer tail and white or mottled white uppertail coverts, while the Common Black Hawk has dark uppertail coverts.
2. Solitary Eagle: The Great Black Hawk has a black bill base, while the Solitary Eagle also has a black bill base.
3. Juveniles: Juvenile Great Black Hawks have many thin bars on their tail, and the pale bars are usually the same width as the dark bars. The legs also extend further toward the tip of the tail on a flying juvenile Great Black Hawk, compared to the Common Black Hawk.

Conservation Status and Threats

Great Black Hawks are generally wary of humans and call loudly in alarm if people approach the nest. They have abandoned some former nesting areas because of too much human disturbance. The conservation status of the Great Black Hawk varies across its range, with some populations being more threatened than others.

Conclusion

The Great Black Hawk is a unique and fascinating raptor that can be identified by its distinctive plumage, tail, legs, and call. By understanding the key features of this species, birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts can better appreciate and conserve this remarkable bird.

References:

1. All About Birds. (n.d.). Common Black Hawk. Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Black_Hawk/overview
2. eBird Central America. (2018, April 16). ID Challenges: the Buteogallus hawks. Retrieved from https://ebird.org/region/ca/post/id-challenges-the-buteogallus-hawks
3. Birds of the World. (2024, March 8). Identification – Common Black Hawk – Buteogallus anthracinus. Retrieved from https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/comblh1/cur/identification
4. Birdzilla. (2024, February 19). 18 Types of Hawks in the United States That You Can See. Retrieved from https://www.birdzilla.com/bird-identification/id-skill-development/bird-families/hawk/
5. Audubon. (n.d.). Common Black Hawk. Retrieved from https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/common-black-hawk.