Great black hawk
{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Great black hawk
| image = Buteogallus urubitinga NBII.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Buteogallus
| species = urubitinga
| authority = (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
| 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. u. ridgwayi - (Gurney Sr, 1884)
- B. u. urubitinga - (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
| range_map = Buteogallus urubitinga range.svg
}}
The great black hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures.
Taxonomy
The great black hawk was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the eagles, hawks and relatives in the genus Falco and coined the binomial name Falco urubitinga.{{ cite book | last=Gmelin | first=Johann Friedrich | author-link=Johann Friedrich Gmelin| year=1788 | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis | edition=13th | volume=1, Part 1 | language=Latin | location=Lipsiae [Leipzig] | publisher=Georg. Emanuel. Beer | page=265 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2896865 }} Gmelin's description was ultimately based on the "urubitinga" that had been described in 1648 by the German naturalist Georg Marcgrave in his Historia Naturalis Brasiliae.{{ cite book | last=Marcgrave | first=Georg | author-link=Georg Marcgrave | year=1648 | title=Historia Naturalis Brasiliae: Liber Quintus: Qui agit de Avibus | language=Latin | location=Lugdun and Batavorum (London and Leiden) | publisher=Franciscum Hackium and Elzevirium | page=214 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/289307 }} The great black hawk is now one of nine species placed in the genus Buteogallus was introduced in 1830 by the French naturalist René Lesson.{{ cite book | last=Lesson | first=René | author-link=René Lesson | year=1831 | title=Traité d'Ornithologie, ou Tableau Méthodique | language=French | location=Paris | publisher=F.G. Levrault | page=83 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35997067 }} Published in 8 livraisons between 1830 and 1831. For the publication date see: {{ cite book | last1=Dickinson | first1=E.C. | author1-link=Edward C. Dickinson | last2=Overstreet | first2=L.K. | last3=Dowsett | first3=R.J. | last4=Bruce | first4=M.D. | year=2011 | title=Priority! The Dating of Scientific Names in Ornithology: a Directory to the literature and its reviewers | location=Northampton, UK | publisher=Aves Press | isbn=978-0-9568611-1-5 | page=119 | url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267763194 }}{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=August 2022 | title=Hoatzin, New World vultures, Secretarybird, raptors | work=IOC World Bird List Version 12.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/raptors/| publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=7 December 2022 }} The name genus is a portmanteau of Buteo, a genus introduced in 1779 by Bernard Germain de Lacépède for the buzzards and the genus Gallus introduced in 1760 by Mathurin Jacques Brisson for the junglefowl. The specific epithet urubitinga is from Tupi Urubú tinga meaning "big black bird" for such a raptor.{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | page=[https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n81/mode/1up 81], [https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n397/mode/1up 397] }}
Two subspecies are recognised:
- B. u. ridgwayi (Gurney, JH Sr, 1884) – Mexico to west Panama
- B. u. urubitinga (Gmelin, JF, 1788) – east Panama to north Argentina
Description
The adult great black hawk is {{convert|56|to|64|cm|in|0}} long and weighs {{convert|1.1|kg|lboz|0}}. It resembles the common black hawk, but is larger with a different call and tail pattern. It has very broad wings, and is mainly black. The short tail is white with a broad black tip. The bill is black and the legs and cere are yellow.
The sexes are similar, but immature birds are dark brown above with spotting and streaks. Their underparts are buff with dark spots, and the tail has a number of black and dusky bars. The call of the great black hawk is a distinctive piping ooo-wheeeeee.
Distribution and habitat
=Vagrancy=
A great black hawk was first recorded in the ABA area on South Padre Island, Texas in April 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/news/birdwatching/great-black-hawk-south-padre-island-texas/|title=Great Black Hawk spotted on South Padre Island, Texas -|last=Mendenhall|first=Matt|website=BirdWatching|date=2 October 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-01}} In August of that year the same individual, based on similarities in what is highly variable immature plumage, resurfaced in Biddeford, Maine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressherald.com/2018/08/09/rare-sighting-of-a-great-black-hawk-draws-birders-to-biddeford/|title=Birders flock to Biddeford to view hawk that's been seen only once before in the U.S.|last=Writer|first=Deirdre FlemingStaff|date=2018-08-09|website=Press Herald|access-date=2019-02-01}} This individual was ranked as the #1 "Craziest Vagrant of 2018" by the ABA.{{Cite web|url=http://blog.aba.org/2019/01/the-top-10-craziest-vagrants-of-2018.html|title=The TOP 10: Craziest Vagrants of 2018|date=2019-01-31|website=ABA Blog|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-01}}
After disappearing for several months it reappeared in Deering Oaks park in Portland, Maine,{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressherald.com/2018/11/29/rarely-seen-hawk-appears-again-this-time-near-downtown-portland/|title=Rarely seen hawk appears again, this time at Deering Oaks park in Portland|author=Staff Report|date=2018-11-29|website=Press Herald|access-date=2019-02-01}} where it remained a resident until being rescued during a snow storm on January 20,{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2045208592221778&id=381894018553252|title=Avian Haven|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-02-01}} and transported to the bird rehab facility [http://www.avianhaven.org/ Avian Haven]. The bird was euthanized on January 31 at Avian Haven due to extensive frostbite which prevented blood from reaching either leg or foot.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2060399997369304&id=381894018553252|title=Avian Haven|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-02-01}} In January 2020 it was mounted and is set to be displayed at the Maine State Museum.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/life/animals/the-great-black-hawk-of-deering-oaks-mounted-headed-to-maine-state-museum/97-ea7be4c8-9e70-4f49-8dec-952d54ccf9df|title=The Great Black Hawk of Deering Oaks mounted, headed to Maine State Museum|website=WCSH|date=30 January 2020 |access-date=2020-03-12}}
Breeding
It builds a large stick nest in a tree, and usually lays one dark-blotched whitish egg.
Diet
The great black hawk feeds mainly on reptiles, other small vertebrates (such as amphibians, fish, birds, and small mammals [including bats]), crabs, large insects, carrion, eggs, and fruits, often hunted on foot.{{cite web | url=https://www.peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/hawks/great-black-hawk | title=Great Black Hawk | the Peregrine Fund }}Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D.A. & Franklin, K. & Mead, D. & Burton, P.. (2001). Raptors of the world. Helm Identification Guides. This species is often seen soaring above woodlands. Along Amazon rivers it has been observed raiding hoatzin nesting colonies looking for eggs and chicks.
Great black hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga) immature.JPG|immature, Pantanal, Brazil
Buteogallus urubitinga -Apure State, Venezuela-8.jpg|In Apure State, Venezuela
Great Black Hawk.jpg|South Brazil
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{cite book
| last = ffrench
| first = Richard
| title = A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago
| edition = 2nd
| year = 1991
| publisher = Comstock Publishing
| isbn = 0-8014-9792-2 }}
- {{cite book
| last = Hilty
| first = Steven L
| title = Birds of Venezuela
| publisher = Christopher Helm
| year = 2003
| location = London
| isbn = 0-7136-6418-5 }}
{{Buteoninae}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1261514}}
Category:Birds of Central America
Category:Birds of prey of South America