Great Black Hawks are similar in appearance to Common Black Hawks but are larger and have two white tail bands.
- Buteogallus urubitinga
- Length: 22 – 25 in (56 – 64 cm)
- Weight: 2lb 7oz (1200kg)
Range
Great Black Hawks are usually residents in Central and South America, but some have flown into southern US states and Florida.
Great Black Hawks are considered rare or accidental species in the United States, but they have been spotted in Texas and Florida in recent years.
Habitat And Diet
You can find Great Black Hawks near forest edges, usually near bodies of water like lakes, rivers, streams, or marshes. They also visit savannas, pastures, and fields.
Great Black Hawks feed on reptiles, small vertebrates, large insects, and eggs or chicks from nests. They capture prey in flight, by walking on the ground, by searching in shallow waterways, and by dropping down from their perches as soon as they see their prey.
Great Black Hawk Call:
Nests
Nests of Great Black Hawks are usually made of sticks built high up in a tree. Females only lay one egg that has to be incubated for thirty-five to thirty-seven days. The male provides the food for both the female and the young when it hatches. The young are ready to fly after 40 days.
Fun Fact:
A Juvenile Great Black Hawk was in the Top 10 List of Craziest Vagrants of 2018″ when it appeared in Texas and in Maine. Unfortunately, it wasn’t able to survive the cold weather and had to be euthanized due to frostbite.
