Buteogallus lacernulatus
The enigmatic White-necked Hawk (*Buteogallus lacernulatus*) is a medium-large raptor, endemic to the rapidly diminishing Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. Adults are striking with their glossy dark slate-grey to black upperparts, wings, and a contrasting pure white head, neck, and underparts. Its tail is black, featuring a broad white basal band and a narrow white tip, while piercing reddish-orange eyes, a bright yellow cere, and yellow legs complete its distinctive profile. Measuring 45-51...
Confined to the humid lowland and lower montane Atlantic Forest, typically inhabiting elevations from sea level up to 1,000 meters, though most commonly found below 600 meters. Prefers primary and mature secondary forest, often near watercourses and along forest edges.
Feeds primarily on a diet of reptiles, including lizards and snakes, and amphibians. Also consumes large insects such as crickets and beetles, small mammals, and occasionally small birds.
The White-necked Hawk is a diurnal raptor, often observed perched quietly within the dense canopy or on an emergent tree, patiently scanning for prey. Its primary foraging strategy is a sit-and-wait ambush, making short, powerful flights to capture unsuspecting reptiles or amphibians from the for...
The White-necked Hawk is entirely endemic to the Atlantic Forest biome of eastern Brazil, spanning a highly fragmented distribution from the northeastern states of Alagoas and Pernambuco south to Santa Catarina. Its historical range has been severely curtailed by deforestation, leaving isolated p...
Vulnerable
- The White-necked Hawk is considered one of the rarest raptors in the Neotropics, known for its extremely secretive nature and fragmented population. - It is a true "Atlantic Forest specialist," with its entire global range confined to this highly threatened biome in eastern Brazil. - Despite it...