savanna hawk
{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Savanna hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis).JPG
| image_caption = In the Pantanal, Brazil
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Buteogallus
| species = meridionalis
| authority = (Latham, 1790)
| synonyms = Heterospizias meridionalis
| range_map = Buteogallus meridionalis map.svg
}}
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. There are also reports of it in California, from 1973 in Alameda County and from 1974 in San Diego County.{{cite web | url=https://ebird.org/checklist/S37650816 | title=EBird Checklist - 21 Sep 1974 - Tijuana River Valley--west of Hollister - 71 species (+4 other taxa) | date=21 September 1974 }}
Description
File:Buteogallus meridionalis -Goias, Brazil -flying-8.jpg
The savanna hawk is {{convert|46|–|61|cm|abbr=on}} in length and weighs {{convert|845|g|abbr=on}}. 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. The call is a loud scream keeeeru.
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 vertically, and its legs are strikingly long.
Food and feeding
The savanna hawk feeds on small mammals, small birds, lizards, snakes, toads, frogs, eels, other fish, crabs, roots, spiders, and large insects (such as grasshoppers).{{cite web|url=https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/images/Buteogallus_meridionalis%20-%20Savanna%20Hawk.pdf|title=Buteogallus meridionalis (Savanna Hawk)|website=Sta.uwi.edu|access-date=26 March 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www.peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/hawks/savanna-hawk | title=Savanna Hawk | the Peregrine Fund }}Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D.A. & Franklin, K. & Mead, D. & Burton, P.. (2001). Raptors of the world. Helm Identification Guides. 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.
Reproduction
References
{{Reflist|refs=
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=Additional sources=
- {{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 | author1=F. Gary Stiles| author2=Alexander Frank Skutch | title = A guide to the birds of Costa Rica | year = 1989 | publisher = Comstock Publishing | isbn = 0-8014-9600-4 }}
External links
{{Commons category|Buteogallus meridionalis}}
{{Wikispecies|Buteogallus meridionalis}}
- [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
{{Buteoninae}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q600791}}
Category:Birds of prey of South America