Savanna Hawk

Taxobox
name = Savanna Hawk
status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1


regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Falconiformes
familia = Accipitridae
genus = "Buteogallus"
species = "B. meridionalis"
binomial = "Buteogallus meridionalis"
binomial_authority = (Latham, 1790)
synonyms ="Heterospizias meridionalis"

The Savanna Hawk ("Buteogallus meridionalis") is a large raptor found in open savanna and swamp edges. It was formerly placed in the genus "Heterospizias". It breeds from Panama and Trinidad south to Bolivia, Uruguay and central Argentina.

The nest is of sticks lined with grass and built in a palm tree. The clutch is a single white egg, and the young take 6.5 to 7.5 weeks to fledging.

The Savanna Hawk is 46-61 cm in length and weighs 845 g. The adult has a rufous body with grey mottling above and fine black barring below. The flight feathers of the long broad wings are black, and the tail is banded black and white. The legs are yellow.

Immature birds are similar to the adults but have darker, duller upperparts, paler underparts with coarser barring, and a whitish supercilium. This species perches very horizontally, and its legs are strikingly long.

The Savanna Hawk feeds on small mammals, lizards, snakes, crabs and large insects. It usually sits on an open high perch from which it swoops on its prey, but will also hunt on foot, and several birds may gather at grass fires. The call is a loud scream keeeeru".

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
*cite book
last = ffrench
first = Richard
title = A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago
edition = 2nd edition
year = 1991
publisher = Comstock Publishing
isbn = 0-8014-9792-2
*cite book
last = Hilty
first = Steven L
title = Birds of Venezuela
publisher = Christopher Helm
date = 2003
location = London
isbn = 0-7136-6418-5
* "A guide to the birds of Costa Rica" by Stiles and Skutch ISBN 0-8014-9600-4

External links

* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=735 Savanna Hawk videos] on the Internet Bird Collection
* [http://vireo.acnatsci.org/search.html?Form=Search&SEARCHBY=Common&KEYWORDS=savanna+hawk&showwhat=images&AGE=All&SEX=All&ACT=All&Search=Search&VIEW=All&ORIENTATION=All&RESULTS=24 Savanna Hawk photo gallery] VIREO
* [http://www.aultimaarcadenoe.com/gaviao6.jpgPhoto-Medium Res] ; [http://www.aultimaarcadenoe.com/aguiasingles.htm Article] aultimaarcadenoe–"Birds: Falcons, Hawks, and Eagles in Brazil"
* [http://www.geometer.org/Brazil2006/images/SavannaHawk.jpgPhoto-High Res] ; [http://www.geometer.org/Brazil2006/index.html Article] geometer.org
* [http://www.roumazeilles.net/news/en/wordpress/2007/12/13/savanna-hawk/ Savanna hawk photos] (Brazil)