Gray Hawk

About the Gray Hawk

The gray hawk (Buteo plagiatus) or Mexican goshawk is a smallish raptor found in open country and forest edges. It is sometimes placed in the genus Asturina as Asturina plagiata. The species was split by the American Ornithological Society (AOU) from the gray-lined hawk. The gray hawk is found from Costa Rica north into the southwestern United States. The gray hawk is 46–61 cm (18–24 in) in length and weighs 475 g (16.8 oz) on average. The adult has a pale gray body, the tail is black with three white bands and the legs are orange. It is a solid, unpatterned gray 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.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name

Buteo plagiatus

Family

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

Order

Accipitriformes

Similar species

Other members of the hawks, eagles, and kites family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

• American Goshawk Astur atricapillus
• Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
• Bicolored Hawk Astur bicolor
• Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus
• Black Kite Milvus migrans
• Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus melanoleucus
• Black-collared Hawk Busarellus nigricollis
• Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
• Chinese Sparrowhawk Tachyspiza soloensis
• Common Black Hawk Buteogallus anthracinus
• Cooper's Hawk Astur cooperii
• Crane Hawk Geranospiza caerulescens