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Harris's Hawk

Parabuteo unicinctusOrder: FALCONIFORMESFamily: Kites, Eagles and Hawks (Accipitridae)

Harris Hawk Portrait
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General

Harris's Hawk: Large hawk with dark brown head, neck, back, and belly and rust-brown shoulders, underwing coverts and flanks. Tail is dark brown to almost black with white base and terminal band. Undertail coverts are white. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has streaked breast.

Range and Habitat

Harris's Hawk: Resident from southwestern U.S. to southern Chile, central Argentina, and Paraguay. Inhabits lowland areas, sparse woodlands, and semi-desert; prefers a moderate amount of taller vegetation. Also frequents watercourses and protected canyons.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"eee eee eee eee"

Interesting Facts

  • The Harris's Hawk nests in social units that vary from an adult pair to as many as seven individuals, including both adults and immatures.
  • Cooperative hunting groups are more successful at capturing prey than individuals hunting alone. Groups of five are the most successful.
  • John James Audubon gave this bird its English name in honor of his ornithological companion, financial supporter, and friend Edward Harris.
  • A group of hawks has many collective nouns, including a "boil", "knot", "spiraling", "stream", and "tower" of hawks.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Harris's Hawk
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family
Species Parabuteo unicinctus
Length17 - 24 Inches
Wingspan46 Inches

Harris's Hawk

Harris's Hawk: Large hawk, dark brown head, neck, back, belly and rust-brown shoulders, underwing coverts and flanks. Tail is dark brown to almost black with white base and terminal band. Undertail coverts are white. Legs and feet are yellow. Flies close to ground or soars on thermals and updrafts.

● Song: "eee eee eee eee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Harris's Hawk: Feeds mainly on rodents such as woodrats, mice, and ground squirrels, but takes birds, often in flight, including ducks, quail, doves, rails, and gallinules; in certain regions of Mexico, its primary food is lizards.

● Breeding & nesting: Harris's Hawk: Two to four white to pale blue eggs, marked with brown or lavender, are laid in a shallow platform made of sticks and twigs, lined with green mesquite, leaves, bark, grass, weeds, roots, and moss, and built on top of a mesquite or in a cactus, Spanish bayonet, or other tree less than 30 feet above the ground. Both parents incubate the eggs for 33 to 36 days; often two broods per year.

● Similar species: Harris's Hawk: Red-shouldered Hawk lacks white patch on tail base and has barred rufous underparts.

Flight Pattern

Rapid wing beats followed by short glide., Soars on thermals and updrafts.
Harris Hawk Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Harris's Hawk: Resident from southwestern U.S. to southern Chile, central Argentina, and Paraguay. Inhabits lowland areas, sparse woodlands, and semi-desert; prefers a moderate amount of taller vegetation. Also frequents watercourses and protected canyons.
BreedingSolitary nester, Polyandrous
PopulationUncommon to fairly common
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight25.6 Ounces