Buteo ventralis
The Rufous-tailed Hawk, *Buteo ventralis*, is a striking medium-sized raptor endemic to the temperate forests and high Andes of southern South America. Adults typically measure 50-60 cm in length with a wingspan of 118-142 cm, exhibiting a dark, robust build. Its most distinctive field mark is the unbarred, rich rufous tail that contrasts sharply with its otherwise sooty-brown to blackish upperparts and dark underparts, though some individuals may show variable whitish mottling on the belly. ...
Primarily inhabits dense temperate forests, Nothofagus woodlands, and mature secondary growth, typically in mountainous and foothill regions. Found from sea level up to 2,000 meters in the Andes.
Feeds primarily on small mammals such as rodents and lagomorphs, birds (including pigeons and smaller passerines), and reptiles. Forages by perch-hunting and aerial stoops.
This diurnal raptor exhibits classic Buteo hunting techniques, often soaring high on thermals to survey its territory or perch-hunting from a prominent snag within dense forest cover. Its primary foraging strategy involves a stealthy dive from a perch or a stoop from soaring flight to capture pre...
The Rufous-tailed Hawk is found exclusively in temperate South America, primarily along the Andes mountain range and associated lowlands. Its breeding range extends from central Chile (approximately Biobío Region) southwards through Chilean Patagonia, including Chiloé Island and the Valdivian tem...
Least Concern
- For decades, the Rufous-tailed Hawk was considered a dark morph or subspecies of the widespread Variable Hawk (*Buteo polyosoma*) until genetic studies confirmed its distinct species status. - It is one of the most southerly distributed hawk species in the world, breeding deep into Patagonia an...