The Short-tailed Hawk is a small, stocky hawk, with a short-tail and long rounded wings. It is resident in southern Florida, and from southern Mexico to South America. It is similar in size to the Broad-winged Hawk. The bird has an unusual method of flying when hunting where it "hangs" in mid air not flapping its wings. This is accomplished by riding upward directed air currents which are created along ridgetops of woodlands. Birds are the major prey item and are taken most often from tree tops. The species still occupies its historically described range despite changes to its preferred habitat; some observers feel numbers have declined. There are two morphs, a dark and a light color morph.
SIZE
A crow-sized hawk which displays reversed size dimorphism. Females are usually larger but sexes overlap in size and weight. For sexes combined it averages 16 inches (41 centimeters) long and has a wingspan that averages 37 inches (93 centimeters). The wing chord length averages 11.2 inches (28.4 centimeters) in males and 12.6 inches (32 centimeters) in females. Weights range between 12.75 and 18.25 ounces (365 to 520 grams).
MORPHS
There are two morphs, a light and a dark morph, in this species. The dorsal side is dark brown to black in both morphs, but the undersides differ. The light phase shows white from chin to tail while the dark phase is dark brown from chin to tail. In Florida the dark phase is more widespread than the light phase.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
Adult (Light-morph) - Perched
- smaller hawk with white face and dark cheeks
- white forehead; outer half of lores white
- dark brown back
- all white from chin to tail; underparts unmarked
- yellow legs
- dark sub-terminal band on tail
- wingtips reach tip of tail
- beige eyes
Immature (Light-morph) - Perched
- brown back
- white forehead; outer half of lores white
- buffy plumage underneath
- lightly streaked belly band
- tail bands of equal width
- buffy white eyebrow
- pale streaks in cheeks; not solid dark
- wing tips reach tip of tail
SIMILAR SPECIES
Light-morph Short-tailed Hawks can be confused with immature Broad-winged Hawks. The Broad-winged Hawk has shorter wings and a substantially longer tail. The species can also be mistaken for a light-morph Swainson's Hawk and Red-shouldered Hawk. Dark-morph Short-tailed Hawks could be confused with dark-morph Red-tailed and Swainson's hawks.
OTHER NAMES
Other names used locally include "Little Black Hawk" and "Short-tailed Buzzard."
ETYMOLOGY
From the Latin Buteo means "a type of hawk or falcon" and from the Greek bracys comes "short" and urus comes "tail." Hence, "hawk with a short tail."
MYTHOLOGY
None is known for North America.
VOICE
Most of the information on the voice of this hawk has been obtained in the vicinity of the nest site. As is common with most raptors, the Short-tailed Hawk is silent outside of the breeding season. Both the male and female respond to intruders with a squealing "keeeea" which drops off at the end. When a prey delivery is made to the female the male elicits a brief "keee." As the male approaches the nest the female calls "kleee." At times during incubation the female will make a short circling soar over the nest and will cry "kee", "keee-e" or "kleee-e."
