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Harris's Hawk

Harris's Hawk

Parabuteo unicinctus

Migration Flyway

Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species

Last Spotted Near You

View on eBirdWikipedia

About the Harris's Hawk

Parabuteo unicinctus is a medium-large bird of prey that breeds from the southwestern United States south to Chile, central Argentina, and Brazil. It contains two subspecies, the Harris's hawk (P. u. harrisi) and the bay-winged hawk (P. u. unicinctus). The species is also occasionally referred to as the dusky hawk and known in Latin America as the peuco. Harris's hawk is notable for its behavior of hunting cooperatively in packs consisting of tolerant groups, while other raptors often hunt alone. Harris's hawks' social nature has been attributed to their intelligence, which makes them easy to train and has made them a popular bird for use in falconry.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name
Parabuteo unicinctus
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

Know when the Harris's Hawk turns up near you

Add it to your watchlist and draw an alert zone around the places you actually bird. Birdr checks eBird reports and tells you when one is seen inside it.

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Gear for spotting Harris's Hawk

Optics

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Spotting Scopes for Distance Birding

Essential for shorebirds, raptors, and anything too far for binoculars. Our tested picks.

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