The Common Black-Hawk is a medium sized hawk which forages and nests in riparian areas from the southwestern United States to the north-west and the north-central perimeter of South America. It is a rather stout hawk with broad, rounded wings and a short tail. It scans for prey from a well vegetated high perch and will move to closer perches if potential prey is detected. In the field, when perched, this hawk appears jet-black with contrasting yellow legs and cere. When flying, it is recognizable by its rather short yet relatively broad wings and a broad white tail band. Immatures appear black but have a buffy eyeline stripe and the underside is strongly streaked. Throughout its range it is associated with permanent water sources and tends to select riparian zones for foraging and nesting. It is often considered as an "obligate riparian nester."
SIZE
The Common Black Hawk exhibits some reversed size dimorphism with females being about five percent larger (by length) than males. Total length for both sexes range between 16.9 to 22.0 inches (43 to 56 centimeters) and averages about 21 inches (53 centimeters) with a wingspan of about 50 inches (127 centimeters). Males weigh about 1.74 pounds (790 grams) and females about 2.64 pounds (1,200 grams).
MORPHS
There are no light or dark color morphs for this species. Partial albinism has been found in South America but it is extremely rare.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
Adult - Perched
- head is overall black with brown eyes
- end half of bill is black with first half and cere a bright yellow to bright yellow orange
- all-black body including back, neck and breast are slate-black
- long legs and toes are bright yellow
- wide white tail band
- thin white tip to tail
- wingtips almost reach tip of tail
Immature - Perched
- head is variably streaked with dark brown and buff and shows a dark, wide malar stripe that extends down the neck
- end half of bill is black with first half of bill and cere pale yellow
- back is primarily dark brown
- underparts are heavily streaked with brown and buff
- tail is longer than in adults and is obliquely barred bilaterally
- black band on tip of tail
- long legs and toes are pale yellow
- note that the juvenile plumage is replaced with the more consistently black plumage of the adult during the spring and summer following its hatching year.
SIMILAR SPECIES
The Common Black-Hawk can be confused with the Zone-tailed Hawk, Black Vulture, and dark-morph buteos. It is important to remember that the Common Black Hawk has broad wings and a diagnostic tail band. The Zone-tailed Hawk has narrower wings, a longer tail, a different tail pattern, and flies in a teetering fashion. The Black Vulture lacks the characteristic bright yellow cere and legs and has larger white patches at the base of the primaries.
OTHER NAMES
Depending on place and time it is also known as "Black Hawk", "Crab Hawk", "Cuban Black-Hawk", Lesser Black-Hawk", "Mexican Crab Hawk", and "Mexican Black-Hawk."
ETYMOLOGY
The latin name for the Common Black-Hawk translates into the Coal Black Chicken Hawk. The genus Buteogallus means "chicken hawk" and anthracinus means "coal black."
MYTHOLOGY
None is known.
VOICE
This species has a repertoire of calls, from a series of wheezy, high-pitched, whistle-sounding notes, to a hoarse, heron-like call of Ka-a-a-ah. The common eight-note call may sound like "kee-kee-KEEE-KEEE-KEE-kee, ee, ee." During copulation, a series of 20 to 30 monotonic notes, which last about 30 seconds, are uttered.
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