Hawks & Osprey - In Belize | Belize Budget Suites

Hawks & Osprey - in Belize

Zone-Tailed Hawk

Zone Tailed Hawk

ZONE TAILED HAWK - The Zone-tailed Hawk is a sleek, blackish raptor of arid foothills and canyons in the southwestern U.S. These birds have an intriguing similarity to Turkey Vultures—they fly with their wings slightly raised and occasionally rock back and forth as the vultures do. Their lightly barred flight feathers even create a two-toned effect similar to the vulture’s wing pattern. While this could be a coincidence, it’s been suggested that Zone-tailed Hawks may mimic the relatively harmless Turkey Vulture in order to fool their prey of birds, mammals, and lizards.
BELIZE HABITAT - Open country, including pastureland, savannas, rice fields, and shrimp farms.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Very uncommon visitor, mid-October to mid-April. To some extent, may be overlooked because of its similarity to Cathartes vultures and some Short-Tailed Hawks.
INTERESTING BIRD FACTS

Zone-tailed Hawks have been expanding their range slowly northward in the United States since the 1990s. During the same period, they have turned up in areas as far away as Nova Scotia and Virginia. Some scientists suggest that “vagrant” sightings such as these are not random events but are a product of expanding populations.
The Zone-tailed Hawk aggressively defends its nesting territory, attacking animals as large as Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, and humans.
The Zone-tailed Hawk looks very similar in flight to Turkey Vultures, and it often soars and even sometimes roosts with them. It has been suggested that the hawk is a mimic of the vulture and uses its similarity to sneak up on prey that would not hide from vultures.
The oldest Zone-tailed Hawk recorded was over 4 years old.

Common-Black Hawk

Common Black Hawk

COMMON BLACK HAWK - On warm summer evenings, Common Nighthawks roam the skies over treetops, grasslands, and cities. Their sharp, electric peent call is often the first clue they’re overhead. In the dim half-light, these long-winged birds fly in graceful loops, flashing white patches out past the bend of each wing as they chase insects. These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land.
BELIZE HABITAT - Typically, open wooded areas near water, forest edge, towns and mangrove forests.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Fairly common resident near coast and along major river systems, much less common in upland areas. Resident of Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and several inshore cayes; recorded also in Half Moon Caye.
INTERESTING BIRD FACTS

On summer evenings, keep an eye and an ear out for the male Common Nighthawk’s dramatic “booming” display flight. Flying at a height slightly above the treetops, he abruptly dives for the ground. As he peels out of his dive (sometimes just a few meters from the ground) he flexes his wings downward, and the air rushing across his wingtips makes a deep booming or whooshing sound, as if a racecar has just passed by. The dives may be directed at females, territorial intruders, and even people.
The Common Nighthawk’s impressive booming sounds during courtship dives, in combination with its erratic, bat-like flight, have earned it the colloquial name of “bullbat.” The name “nighthawk” itself is a bit of a misnomer, since the bird is neither strictly nocturnal—it’s active at dawn and dusk—nor closely related to hawks.
Many Late Pleistocene fossils of Common Nighthawks, up to about 400,000 years old, have been unearthed between Virginia and California and from Wyoming to Texas.
Common Nighthawks, which have one of the longest migration routes of all North American birds, sometimes show up far out of range. They have been recorded in Iceland, Greenland, the Azores, the Faroe Islands, and multiple times on the British Isles.
The oldest Common Nighthawk on record was a female, and at least 9 years old. She was recaptured during banding operations in Ohio.

Great Black Hawk

GREAT BLACK HAWK - Uncommon in forest, marshes, and mangroves, where usually greatly outnumbered by similar Common Black Hawk. Slightly larger and lankier than Common Black Hawk, with longer legs and tail, and adults of the two species have very different calls in flight. Adult Great Black has 2 white tail bands (1 on Common) and less extensive yellow in face. Immature looks whiter-headed than Common (no big black moustaches), and its longer tail has narrower and more numerous pale bars. Usually warier than Common, which can be quite unconcerned by people.
BELIZE HABITAT - Generally found in more densely wooded areas than the proceeding, often but not always near water; also feeds in rice fields and other open areas.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Found nearly throughout on mainland; generally less common near coast than the preceding species, but more frequent in inland and upland areas.

Roadside Hawk

ROADSIDE HAWK - Well-named, the common roadside hawk in tropical lowlands of East Mexico and Central and South America. Often seen on wires, phone poles, posts out in fields. Adult has staring pale eyes, streaked breast contrasting with barred belly. Immature streaked below, much like many other immature hawks, but its tail has broad and fairly even bands. Flies with rather quick, stiff wingbeats, recalling a Red-shouldered Hawk or an Accipiter; noisy flight display mainly in late winter-spring.
BELIZE HABITAT - Widespread in broken woodland and forest edge, including roadsides and tree-lined rivers; occasionally seen in forest interior at army ant swams.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Common resident on mainland; uncommon on Ambergris Caye.

Black-Collard Hawk

Black Collared Hawk

BLACK COLLARD HAWK - Attractive chunky hawk of marshes and wetlands. Usually seen perched quietly near water, waiting to swoop down and snatch fish or frogs. Adult is distinctive, with mostly orange plumage and a whitish head (black collar is often hard to see). Immature is brownish overall, duller than the adult, but with a similar pattern. Note rather pale, dull pinkish legs and feet (yellow or orange on most other hawks). In flight looks very broad winged and short tailed.
BELIZE HABITAT - Forested edges of sluggish rivers and lagoons.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon to fairly common resident locally on mainland west to central Orange Walk and south to northeast of Cayo and northeast of Stan Creek.

Broad-Winged Hawk

Broad Winged Hawk

BROAD WINGED HAWK - Rather small, compact hawk; about the size of Red-shouldered Hawk, smaller than Red-tailed Hawk. Adults are solid brown above, barred reddish-brown below with bold black-and-white tail bands. Immatures similar, but with blotchier markings below and thin, diffuse tail bands. Distinctive shape in flight: note the short tail, straight leading edge of wing, and bulging secondaries in flight. Listen for high-pitched, piercing whistle coming from woodlands during breeding season. Known for forming massive flocks called kettles during migration, when it travels from the U.S. and Canada all the way to winter in Central and South America.
BELIZE HABITAT - Forest edge and open country with scattered trees. Migrates over most terrestrial habitats, especially along the coast.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Very uncommon transient and regular winter visitor, mid-October to late March; mostly in south half; recorded once each on Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker.
INTERESTING FACTS

Each fall, hundreds of thousands of Broad-winged Hawks leave the northern forests for South America. They fill the sky in sometimes huge flocks that can contain thousands of birds at a time, and these “kettles” are a prime attraction at many hawkwatch sites. As they move from the broad stretches of North America to narrow parts of Central America their numbers get concentrated, leading people to describe places such as Veracruz, Mexico, and Panama as a “river of raptors.”
Scientists used satellite transmitters to track four Broad-winged Hawks as they migrated south in the fall. The hawks migrated an average of 4,350 miles to northern South America, traveling 69 miles each day. Once on their wintering grounds the hawks did not move around much, staying on average within a 1-square-mile area.
Late Pleistocene fossils of Broad-winged Hawks, up to 400,000 years old, have been unearthed in Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Virginia, and Puerto Rico.
The oldest Broad-winged Hawk on record was a male, and at least 18 years, 4 months old when it was recaptured after sustaining an injury in Florida in 1987, the same state where he was banded in 1970. He was later released.

Gray Hawk

GRAY HAWK - Compact raptor. Adults distinctive, all pale gray with thin white bars on underparts. Tail banded black and white. Juvenile is brown and streaky. Juveniles are similar to juvenile Broad-winged and Red-shouldered Hawks, but have bolder face pattern, paler underwings, and a small white patch at the base of the uppertail. Found in shrubby riparian woodland. Usually seen singly.
BELIZE HABITAT - Forest edge, roadsides, open country with scattered large trees.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Fairly common resident on mainland; occasionally on Ambergris Caye.
INTERESTING FACTS

Gray Hawks belongs to the genus Buteo, but they are so unusual in appearance—smaller, with a longish tail, short rounded wings, and accipiterlike flight style—that it was once included in its own genus, Asturina.
The Gray Hawk's range extends throughout most of the Neotropics. In fact, this species used to be called Mexican Goshawk due to both its accipiterlike appearance and range.
Gray Hawks eat mostly lizards, and they prey upon many different species. The Gray Hawk's range in Arizona overlaps with one the highest areas of lizard diversity in the country.
Both male and female Gray Hawks help build the nest, using live twigs and branches from the tree they are nesting in. Their courtship displays consist of steep, coordinated dives and aerial acrobatics.

Red Tailed Hawk

RED TAILED HAWK - Most common roadside raptor across much of North America. Often perches atop telephone poles, light posts, and edges of trees. Incredible variation in plumages, including less common dark morphs and various regional differences. Eastern adults have brilliant reddish-orange tail and pale underparts with obvious band of dark marks across belly. Western birds are typically darker. Immatures do not have a red tail.
BELIZE HABITAT - Submontane pine and mixed pine broadleaf forest; occasionally in lowlands.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon resident in and near Mountain Pine Ridge Cayo, and recently in north Orange Walk; also reported from west Orange Walk, Ladyville Belize, Cockscomb Basin Stann Creek, and Payne's Creek in Toledo District.

Short-Tailed Hawk

Short Tailed Hawk

SHORT TAILED HAWK - Rather small hawk that is often seen soaring on flat wings with tips swept upwards, suddenly dropping out of the sky like a rock. Dark morph adult is very dark brown with paler undersides on outer flight feathers. Dark juvenile similar but is distinctly spotted below, and lacks the terminal band on the wings. Light morph adult is clean white below and brown above with rusty patch on the side of its neck, a dark hood and a white throat. Light morph juvenile is similar but lacks rusty patch. All birds have a faintly banded tail. Most similar to Broad-winged Hawk, which is never clean white below. Dark morph Broad-winged separable from dark morph Short-tailed Hawks by tail pattern and wing shape.
BELIZE HABITAT - In or over most habitats from dense woodland to open savannas. Much more often seen in flight than perched.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon to fairly common resident on mainland.

Swainson's Hawk

SWAINSON'S HAWK - Longer-winged than Red-tailed Hawk, but otherwise the same size. Found in prairies and agricultural regions of western U.S. and Canada in warm months. Varies in color from rather pale with white belly to completely brown. Light morph is more common with brown breast band contrasting with white throat and belly. In flight from below, note dark primaries and secondaries contrasting with whitish forewing of light morph. Winters in South America and along Pacific coast of Central America. Extremely rare in U.S. in winter.
BELIZE HABITAT - Could be seen in flight over most open habitats. When perched, on fence posts or snags; on ground, in open fields, grassland, and savannas.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
One documented record; subad. near Big Falls Toledo on November 30, 2001.
INTERESTING FACTS

The Swainson’s Hawk initially suffered from a case of mistaken identity, when a specimen collected in Canada in 1827 and illustrated by William Swainson was confused with the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) of Europe. A nephew of Emperor Napoleon eventually corrected the error: in 1832, while working in Philadelphia, French biologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte identified the hawk as a new species and named it after the original illustrator—although he based his own description on a drawing by John James Audubon.
Swainson’s Hawk feed their chicks the usual “three r’s” of the North American buteo diet: rodents, rabbits, and reptiles. But when they’re not breeding, the adults switch to a diet made up almost exclusively of insects, especially grasshoppers and dragonflies.
Groups of soaring or migrating hawks are called “kettles.” When it comes to forming kettles, Swainson’s Hawks are overachievers: they form flocks numbering in the tens of thousands, often mixing with Turkey Vultures, Broad-winged Hawks, and Mississippi Kites to create a virtual river of migrating birds. Their daytime migrations create a much-anticipated spectacle for birders who in fall and spring form their own flocks at well-known migratory points in the southern U.S., Mexico, and Central America to watch the birds stream by.
The oldest known Swainson’s Hawk was at least 26 years, 1 month old. It was banded in 1986 in California, then recaptured and rereleased during banding operations, also in California, in 2012.

White-Tailed Hawk

White Tailed Hawk

WHITE TAILED HAWK - Strikingly patterned raptor, usually found in open grassy areas or agricultural fields with scattered bushes. Wings are long and pointed but broad at the base which makes the tail look relatively short. Adults are clean white below with gray upperparts and rufous patch on shoulder. Tail is white with black band near the tip. Young birds are darker with dark markings on the belly; especially note dark gray wings, pale grayish-brown tail, and wing shape. Hovers more frequently than other large raptors. Widespread in Central and South America; limited range in U.S.
BELIZE HABITAT - Open country, primarily savannas and pastureland.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon resident on mainland south to central Cayo and in coastal savannas, central of Maya Mountains south to northeast Toledo; strays to south Toledo.

White Hawk

WHITE HAWK - Spectacular, broad-winged, short-tailed hawk of lowland tropical forest. Usually seen soaring in mid-late morning or perched quietly in the forest canopy. Basically unmistakable, but beware of rare albino forms of other hawks. Plumage is white overall with black wingtips and a black tail band. Immature has more black on wings, as do adults of populations in southern Central America. Note dark eyes and pale grayish base to the bill (versus yellow on most hawks).
BELIZE HABITAT - Primary and old secondary broadleaf forest and forest edge.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon resident on mainland, mostly away from the coast, north to west Belize and central Orange Walk.

Cooper's Hawk

Copper's Hawk

COOPER'S HAWK - Small to medium-sized hawk with relatively short rounded wings and rounded tail. Adults are gray above with pale orange barring below; immatures are browner and streaky. Very similar to Sharp-shinned Hawk, but larger with bigger head. Also note deeper, slower wingbeats. Breeds in forested areas; more common in suburban areas than Sharp-shinned Hawk. Feeds mainly on birds captured in flight. Often stalks feeders in search of prey.
BELIZE HABITAT - Similar to that of the preceding species.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Very uncommon transient and regular winter visitor on mainland south of Corozal, late September to early March.

Sharp-Skinned Hawk

Sharp Skinned Hawk

SHARP SKINNED HAWK - Small hawk with relatively short rounded wings. Adults are gray above with pale orange barring below; immatures are browner and streaky. Very similar to Cooper's Hawk, especially in plumage, but smaller overall with smaller head, more squared-off tail, and more petite feet. Also note quicker, snappier wingbeats. Breeds in extensive forests. Feeds mainly on birds captured in flight. Often stalks feeders in search of prey.
BELIZE HABITAT - Submontane pine and mixed pine/broadleaf forest; occasionally in lowlands.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon resident in and near Mountain Pine Ridge in Cayo, and recently in north Orange Walk; also reported from west Orange Walk, Ladyville Belize, Cockscomb Basin Stann Creek, and Payne's Creek in Toledo.

Bi-Colored Hawk

BI-COLORED HAWK - Elusive bird-eating hawk of tropical forest in humid lowlands. Does not soar and is rarely seen. Most often encountered perched quietly at middle to upper levels inside the forest or at the edges of clearings. Note the staring amber eyes (yellow on immatures) and long yellow legs. Adult is gray overall with rusty thighs (can be very hard to see on a perched bird). Immature is creamy to pale rusty below. All plumages lack dark streaking or barring on underparts.
BELIZE HABITAT - Primary and secondary broadleaf forest.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon resident on mainland but not often reported, because it resides in dense forest and seldom vocalizes away from nest.

Crane Hawk

CRANE HAWK - Variably colored hawk with a small head and long legs. Frequents tropical lowlands, especially marshes, but also forest, woodland patches. Usually seen perched, at times clambering and flapping while using its double-jointed legs to grope around for prey in tree crevices. Adult has long reddish legs; Central American and northern South American birds have red eyes, while southern South American birds have yellow eyes. Immature has white-grizzled face. Long tail has 2 broad white bands, obvious in flight. Wingbeats rather loose and floppy, and soars rather infrequently.
BELIZE HABITAT - Forested streamsides, forest edges, savannas, roadsides. Often forages in large trees with bromeliads, typically near water.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon resident in north half; scarce in south. One record from north Ambergris Caye, where possibly resident.

Osprey

OSPREY - Unique among North American raptors for its diet of live fish and ability to dive into water to catch them, Ospreys are common sights soaring over shorelines, patrolling waterways, and standing on their huge stick nests, white heads gleaming. These large, rangy hawks do well around humans and have rebounded in numbers following the ban on the pesticide DDT. Hunting Ospreys are a picture of concentration, diving with feet outstretched and yellow eyes sighting straight along their talons.
BELIZE HABITAT - Most coastal and offshore areas with open water for feeding and trees or poles for perching; less commonly in vicinity of larger inland bodies of water. Nests on exposed platforms created by broken tree trunks, poles, old light-houses, and other structures.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
It nests in the cayes and coastal lagoons. Uncommon to fairly common winter visitor in coastal lowlands and offshore cayes, where may be seen with ridgwayi. Occasionally seen far from aquatic habitats.
INTERESTING BIRD FACTS

An Osprey may log more than 160,000 migration miles during its 15-to-20-year lifetime. Scientists track Ospreys by strapping lightweight satellite transmitters to the birds’ backs. The devices pinpoint an Osprey's location to within a few hundred yards and last for 2-3 years. During 13 days in 2008, one Osprey flew 2,700 miles—from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, to French Guiana, South America.
Ospreys are unusual among hawks in possessing a reversible outer toe that allows them to grasp with two toes in front and two behind. Barbed pads on the soles of the birds' feet help them grip slippery fish. When flying with prey, an Osprey lines up its catch head first for less wind resistance.
Ospreys are excellent anglers. Over several studies, Ospreys caught fish on at least 1 in every 4 dives, with success rates sometimes as high as 70 percent. The average time they spent hunting before making a catch was about 12 minutes—something to think about next time you throw your line in the water.
The Osprey readily builds its nest on manmade structures, such as telephone poles, channel markers, duck blinds, and nest platforms designed especially for it. Such platforms have become an important tool in reestablishing Ospreys in areas where they had disappeared. In some areas nests are placed almost exclusively on artificial structures.
Osprey eggs do not hatch all at once. Rather, the first chick emerges up to five days before the last one. The older hatchling dominates its younger siblings, and can monopolize the food brought by the parents. If food is abundant, chicks share meals in relative harmony; in times of scarcity, younger ones may starve to death.
The name "Osprey" made its first appearance around 1460, via the Medieval Latin phrase for "bird of prey" (avis prede). Some wordsmiths trace the name even further back, to the Latin for "bone-breaker"--ossifragus.
The oldest known Osprey was at least 25 years, 2 months old, and lived in Virginia. It was banded in 1973, and found in 1998.