Common Black Hawk
Buteogallus anthracinus
Also known as: Cuban Black-Hawk
About This Species
Look for this stocky raptor perched on snags along rivers, streams and wooded canyons from the southwestern United States through Central America, where it hunts crabs, fish and amphibians in shallow water. It soars on broad, rounded wings with a single bold white band across the tail, often calling with a shrill, chattering scream near nesting territory. Riparian corridors at dawn or dusk in the breeding season, roughly spring through summer, offer the best chance of a sighting.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- View from a trail or vehicle at least 50 to 100 metres from a nest or perch, since this species is uncommon and easily flushed from riverside habitat it depends on for fishing.
- Protection status and enforcement vary across its range, from federal migratory bird laws in the United States to more limited protections further south, so err toward the stricter end wherever you are.
- Avoid lingering near a known nest site and never bait or call birds in to get closer views.
LCAvesAccipitriformesAccipitridae
Seasonal Activity
186,630 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
Photo
(c) Becky Matsubara, some rights reserved (CC BY)
CC-BY-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.