Gray-lined hawk
{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Grey-lined hawk (Buteo nitidus).jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Buteo
| species = nitidus
| authority = (Latham, 1790)
| subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
| subdivision_ref = Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen (Eds). 2020. IOC World Bird List (v10.2). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2.
| subdivision =
- B. n. blakei - Hellmayr & Conover, 1949
- B. n. nitidus - (Latham, 1790)
- B. n. pallidus - (Todd, 1915)
| synonyms = Asturina nitida
| range_map = Buteo nitidus.svg
}}
The gray-lined hawk (Buteo nitidus) 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.
Description
The gray-lined hawk is {{cvt|46|–|61|cm|in}} in length and weighs {{cvt|475|g|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.
Diet
It feeds mainly on lizards and snakes, but will also take insects (such as beetles and grasshoppers), small mammals (such as rabbits, squirrels and mice), birds (such as quails and nestling doves), frogs, toads, other amphibians and fish.{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Asturina_nitida/ | title=Asturina nitida (Gray hawk) | website=Animal Diversity Web }}{{cite web|website=The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago |title=Buteo nitidus (Grey or Grey-lined Hawk)|publisher=UWI |url=https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/images/Buteo_nitidus%20-%20Grey%20or%20Grey-lined%20Hawk.pdf}}{{cite web | url=https://www.peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/hawks/gray-lined-hawk | title=Gray-lined Hawk {{!}} the Peregrine Fund }}{{cite book|author=Ferguson-Lees, J. |author2= Christie, D.A. |author3= Franklin, K. |author4= Mead, D. |author5= Burton, P.|year=2001|title=Raptors of the world|series=Helm Identification Guides}} It usually sits on an open high perch from which it swoops on its prey, but will also hunt from a low glide.
Breeding
The nest is of sticks and built high in a tree. The usual clutch is one to three, usually two white to pale blue eggs. The young take about 6 weeks to fledging.
References
- ffrench, Richard; O'Neill, John Patton & Eckelberry, Don R. (1991): A guide to the birds of Trinidad and Tobago (2nd edition). Comstock Publishing, Ithaca, N.Y.. {{ISBN|0-8014-9792-2}}
- Hilty, Steven L. (2003): Birds of Venezuela. Christopher Helm, London. {{ISBN|0-7136-6418-5}}
- Stiles, F. Gary & Skutch, Alexander Frank (1989): A guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Comistock, Ithaca. {{ISBN|0-8014-9600-4}}
- {{cite journal|last1=Banks|first1=Richard C.|last2=Cicero|first2=Carla|last3=Dunn|first3=Jon L.|last4=Kratter|first4=Andrew W.|last5=Rasmussen|first5=Pamela C.|last6=Remsen|first6=J. V.|last7=Rising|first7=James D.|last8=Stotz|first8=Douglas F.|year=2007|title=Forty-Seventh Supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of North American Birds|journal=The Auk|volume=123|issue=3|pages=926–936|doi=10.1642/0004-8038(2006)123[926:FSTTAO]2.0.CO;2|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1236357|doi-access=free}}
- {{cite journal |author=Riesing, M. J.|author2= L. Kruckenhauser|author3= A. Gamauf |author4= E. Haring |year=2003|title=Molecular phylogeny of the genus Buteo (Aves: Accipitridae) based on mitochondrial marker sequences|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|volume=27|issue= 2|pages=328–342|doi= 10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00450-5|pmid= 12695095|bibcode= 2003MolPE..27..328R}}
{{Commons category|Buteo nitidus}}
{{Wikispecies|Buteo nitidus}}
{{Buteoninae}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1260070}}
Category:Birds of Central America
Category:Birds of South America
Category:Birds of Trinidad and Tobago