Harris's Hawk

First year Harris's Hawk in flight, Vizcaino Peninsula, Baja California Sur, Mexico, 29 Sep 2005.

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Harris's Hawk taking flight

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A handsome hawk of the arid Southwest, the Harris's Hawk hunts cooperatively in pairs or trios. The hawks surround their prey, flush it for another to catch, or take turns chasing it.

Description

Medium-sized to large hawk. Dark overall. White rump and undertail. White tip to dark tail. Chestnut-red thighs and shoulders. Legs and bare face skin yellow.

• Size: 46-59 cm (18-23 in)
• Wingspan: 103-124 cm (41-49 in)
• Weight: 515-1630 g (18.18-57.54 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike, female larger.

Sound

Call a prolonged, harsh "irrr."

Conservation Status

Declining in the United States.

Other Names

Buse de Harris. (French)
Peuco castellano. (Spanish)
Bay-winged Hawk. (English)

Cool Facts

• The Harris's Hawk nests in social units that vary from an adult pair to as many as seven individuals, including both adults and immatures.

• Although most North American Harris?s Hawks nest in spring (March through June), some females will lay second and even third clutches after their first breeding attempt fails or succeeds. Eggs or young have been recorded in every month of the year.

• Cooperatively hunting groups of Harris's Hawks are more successful at capturing prey than individuals hunting alone. Groups of five hawks are the most successful.

Sources used to construct this page:

Bednarz, J. C. 1995. Harris? Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus). In The Birds of North America, No. 146 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists? Union, Washington, D.C.