Grey-backed hawk

Last updated

Grey-backed hawk
Gray-backed Hawk - South-Ecuador S4E8637 (15478568822).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Pseudastur
Species:
P. occidentalis
Binomial name
Pseudastur occidentalis
(Salvin, 1876)
Pseudastur occidentalis map.svg
Synonyms

Leucopternis occidentalis

The grey-backed hawk (Pseudastur occidentalis) is an Endangered species of bird of prey in subfamily Accipitrinae, the "true" hawks, of family Accipitridae. It is found in Ecuador and far northern Peru. [2] [3] [1]

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

The grey-backed hawk was traditionally placed in genus Leucopternis but following a 2006 paper, taxonomists moved it and two other species to genus Pseudastur. [4] [3] [2] [5] [6] The grey-backed hawk is monotypic. [2]

Description

The grey-backed hawk is 45 to 52 cm (18 to 20 in) long with a 104 to 116 cm (41 to 46 in) wingspan. One female weighed 660 g (23 oz). Females are about 10% larger than males and both sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a gray and white streaked head, nape, and mantle. They have blackish gray upperparts and a mostly white tail with a wide black band near the end. Their eye is dark brown, their cere gray, and their legs and feet pale yellow. Immatures have brownish gray upperparts, a dusky-striped nape, and gray spots on the breast. [7]

Distribution and habitat

The grey-backed hawk is found locally in western Ecuador between southern Esmeraldas and Loja provinces and slightly into Peru's Department of Tumbes. It inhabits subtropical and tropical semi-deciduous and evergreen forest, cloudforest, and secondary forest. It prefers moist areas and is often found in steep ravines. In elevation it mostly ranges between 100 and 1,400 m (330 and 4,600 ft) but occurs as high as 2,900 m (9,500 ft). [7]

Behavior

Movement

The grey-backed hawk is sedentary. [7]

Feeding

The grey-backed hawk's hunting method and diet are not well defined. It has been recorded hunting over streams and croplands and sometimes up to four will hunt together. Its diet includes reptiles, amphibians, crabs, rodents, birds, and large insects. [7]

Breeding

The grey-backed hawk appears to nest at any time of the year but its breeding activity appears to be concentrated between December and April, the local rainy season. Pairs make display flights. Nothing else is known about its breeding biology. [7]

Vocalization

During the grey-backed hawk's display flights, one bird will make a "drawn-out screeching keeeaaarr-keeeaaarr... (which rises in central portion) or, alternatively, a high-pitched kéééoooowww". [7]

Status

The IUCN originally assessed the grey-backed hawk as Threatened but since 1994 has classed it as Endangered. It has a small range and its estimated population of 250 to 1000 mature individuals is believed to be decreasing. The population is fragmented. Its forest habitat is undergoing continuing destruction for timber and agriculture. Even some nominally protected areas are illegally logged and cleared. [1] The "combination of clearance for agriculture and timber supplies and intense grazing (by goats and cattle) in understorey has made [the western] Ecuadorian forests one of [the] world’s most threatened ecosystems." [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White hawk</span> Species of bird

The white hawk is a bird of prey breeding in the tropical New World of the family Accipitridae. Though it is commonly placed in the subfamily Buteoninae, the validity of this group is doubtful and currently under review.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-rumped swift</span> Species of bird

The grey-rumped swift or gray-rumped swift is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama; in every mainland South American country except Chile, French Guiana, Suriname, and Uruguay; in Trinidad and Tobago; and on Grenada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-headed dove</span> Species of bird

The grey-headed dove (Leptotila plumbeiceps) is a large New World dove. It is found from eastern Mexico to Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-headed sapphire</span> Species of hummingbird

The blue-headed sapphire or Gray's hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-rumped hawk</span> Species of bird

The white-rumped hawk is a species of bird of prey in subfamily Accipitrinae, the "true" hawks, of family Accipitridae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed hawk</span> Species of bird

The white-browed hawk is a species of bird of prey in subfamily Accipitrinae, the "true" hawks, of family Accipitridae. It is found Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mantled hawk</span> Species of bird

The mantled hawk is a South American species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sooty-capped puffbird</span> Species of bird

The sooty-capped puffbird is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is endemic to Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-capped cuckoo</span> Species of bird

The grey-capped cuckoo is a species of bird in the tribe Phaenicophaeini, subfamily Cuculinae of the cuckoo family Cuculidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, as a vagrant on Bonaire and in the Galápagos Islands, and possibly in Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark-billed cuckoo</span> Species of bird

The dark-billed cuckoo is a species of bird in the tribe Phaenicophaeini, subfamily Cuculinae of the cuckoo family Cuculidae. It is regularly found in every mainland South American country except Chile plus the Galápagos Islands. It has also occurred as a vagrant in Chile and several other countries and islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azuero dove</span> Species of bird

The Azuero dove or brown-backed dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colombian crake</span> Species of bird

The Colombian crake is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted woodcreeper</span> Species of bird

The spotted woodcreeper is a species of bird in the subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ringed woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The ringed woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-crowned woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The grey-crowned woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is endemic to western Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-stained woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The red-stained woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarlet-backed woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The scarlet-backed woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocó woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The Choco woodpecker is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronze-winged woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The bronze-winged woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is endemic to northeastern Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venezuelan parakeet</span> Species of bird

The Venezuelan parakeet or Emma's conure is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is endemic to Venezuela.

References

  1. 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2016). "Grey-backed Hawk Pseudastur occidentalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22695789A93528212. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22695789A93528212.en . Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (August 2022). "Hoatzin, New World vultures, Secretarybird, raptors". IOC World Bird List. v 12.2. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 July 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved July 24, 2022
  4. Amaral, F.S.R., Miller, M.J., Silveira, L.F., Bermingham, E. and Wajntal, A. (2006). Polyphyly of the hawk genera Leucopternis and Buteogallus (Aves, Accipitridae): multiple habitat shifts during the Neotropical buteonine diversification. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 6(10): 1–21.
  5. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved November 10, 2022
  6. HBW and BirdLife International (2022) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6b. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6b_Jul22.zip retrieved December 5, 2022
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bierregaard, R. O., G. M. Kirwan, D. A. Christie, and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Gray-backed Hawk (Pseudastur occidentalis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.gybhaw2.01 retrieved December 10, 2022