Buteo plagiatus
The Grey Hawk, *Buteo plagiatus*, is a striking medium-sized raptor, measuring approximately 40-46 cm (16-18 inches) in length with a wingspan of 90-100 cm (35-39 inches). Adults are unmistakable with their elegant slate-grey plumage, finely barred white underparts, and a distinctive black-and-white banded tail. Their bright yellow legs and cere contrast sharply with their dark bodies. Juveniles, in stark contrast, display brown streaking on a whitish underside, brown backs, and a brown tail ...
Primarily found in riparian woodlands, gallery forests, and thorny scrub, often near water sources. It inhabits low to mid-elevations, typically below 1,800 meters (6,000 feet).
Their diet consists mainly of small reptiles, particularly lizards and snakes, along with amphibians like frogs. They also consume large insects, small birds, and mammals opportunistically.
Grey Hawks are diurnal hunters, spending much of their day perched secretively within trees, scanning for prey. Their primary foraging strategy is the 'perch-and-pounce,' where they patiently wait for an opportune moment to swoop down. However, they are also remarkably agile fliers, capable of pu...
The Grey Hawk's primary breeding range extends from the southwestern United States, specifically southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, with rare occurrences in West Texas, southward through Mexico, and into Central America as far as Costa Rica. Most populations within Mexico and Central A...
Least Concern
- The Grey Hawk was once considered the same species as the Grey-lined Hawk (*Buteo nitidus*), but genetic and vocal differences led to their split into two distinct species in 2013 by the American Ornithological Society. - Despite being a *Buteo* (typically open-country soaring hawks), the Grey ...