Double-toothed Kite (Harpagus bidentatus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Harpagus ("rapacious person, harpy") bidentatus ("two toothed")

Double-toothed Kite (Harpagus bidentatus) at Carara National Park, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Harpagus bidentatus fasciatus
Weight: g/kg  /  Length: 29-35cm  /  Wingspan: 60-72cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Double-toothed kites are specialist predators of rainforest interiors, primarily snatching prey from branches, primarily insects but will, as seen here, also take small vertebrates including frogs and lizards. Despite the name, the name "kite" doesn't have any particular taxonomic significance as it is applied to a wide range of species across numerous taxons, many of which are only distantly related to each other.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Harpagus
SUBSPECIES: H. b. bidentatus, H. b. fasciatus
 

- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Milano Bidentado ("Two-toothed Kite")
Widespread resident of lowlands
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Carara National Park

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Buteogallus ("buzzard-chicken") anthracinus ("pertaining to coal")

 

Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Buteogallus anthracinus anthracinus
Weight: 930g  /  Length: 43-53cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widespread species of Coastal Lowlands which specialises in coastal and wetland prey such as crabs and crayfish, but will also take small vertebrates and scavenge depending on availability. Their range extends into the Southern United States and down both Pacific and Atlantic Coasts of South America to Ecuador and Guyana respectively.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteogallus
SUBSPECIES: B. a. anthracinus, B. a. rhizophorae, B. a. bangsi, B. a. subtilis
 
- Sighting Locations - 

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Busardo Negro Norteño ("Northern Black Buzzard")

Found in coastal areas and lowland forests
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Crane Hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Geranospiza ("crane hawk") caerulescens ("ceruleanish")

Crane Hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Geranospiza caerulescens nigra
Weight: 273-430g  /  Length: 38-54cm  /  Wingspan: 76-111cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Despite the name perhaps seeming to imply they feed on cranes when viewed in correlation with European species such as the sparrowhawk, it is actually descriptive referring to their long legs which also along with a form of "double jointedness" are used to reach into tree cavities to extract hiding prey, particularly small vertebrates. Only one species is currently recognised, but historically three species were considered valid, and this stance is apparently still supported.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Geranospiza
SUBSPECIES: G. c. livens, G. c. nigra, G. c. balzarensis, G. c. caerulescens, G. c. gracilis, G. c. flexipes
 

- Sighting Locations -
COSTA RICA - Spanish - azor zancón ("stilt hawk")
Widespread but scarce at low altitudes
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles

 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Rupornis ("filth bird") magnirostris ("great billed")

 

Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Rupornis magnirostris griseocauda
Weight: 250-300g  /  Length: 31-41cm  /  Wingspan: 60-80cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The roadside hawk is a small and widespread hawk analagous in behaviour to buzzards in Europe - a perch based hunter of terrestrial prey such as insects, reptiles and small mammals. A widely distributed species found from Mexico to Argentina East of the Andes, there is significant variation in the plumage of its subspecies across this range. 
 
Related Species: 
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Rupornis
SUBSPECIES: R. m. griseocauda, R. m. conspectus, R. m. gracilis, R. m. sinushonduri, R. m. petulans, R. m. alius, R. m. magnirostris, R. m. occiduus, R. m. saturatus, R. m. nattereri, R. m. magniplumus, R. m. pucherani
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA 

Widespread at lower altitudes
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Buteo ("buzzard") brachyurus ("short-tailed")

Adult Light Morph Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus) (subspecies ) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025 

Featured Subspecies: Buteo brachyurus fulgigunosus
Weight: 385-480g  /  Length: 40cm  /  Wingspan: 83-103cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widely distributed but scarce hawk that unusually for a buteo primarily hunts birds, although they will also take preys such as reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and insects as needed. Like many other buteos they come in a wide range of morphs, ranging from ones with pure white undersides to entirely dark birds. Unusually for a buteo, they tend to perch in more difficult to obscerve locations from the ground as they do not hunt from perches.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
SUBSPECIES: B. b. brachyurus, B. b. fulgigunosus
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Gavilán Rabicorto ("Short-tailed Hawk")
Uncommon but found throughout except at the highest altitudes
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)

OTHER NAMES: American Black Vulture
Latin Etymology: Coragyps ("raven vulture") atratus ("clothed in black")

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Coragyps atratus brasiliensis
Weight: 1.2-3kg  /  Length: 56-74cm  /  Wingspan: 1.3-1.67m
NO UK STATUS/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Found from New York to nearly the Southern most tip of South America, the Black Vulture (not to be confused with the Eurasian Black Vulture) is a versatile scavenger found across a wide range of habitats and climate zones.  Unlike the turkey vulture, they are a sight based scavenger and will follow other species to carcasses if they cannot find one themselves. They are also known to congregate at landfill sites to feed, and are generally opportunistic in their hunting.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Cathartidae
Genus: Coragyps
SUBSPECIES: C. a. atratus, C. a. foetens, C. a. brasiliensis (none universally recognised)

 - Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA 

A widespread and fairly common resident.
 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Buteo ("buzzard") rufinus ("rufous")

Adult Long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus) at Location - March 2025

Featured Subspecies: Buteo rufinous rufinous
Weight: 1-1.2kg  /  Length: 50-66cm  /  Wingspan: 145cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A large powerful buzzard that breeds in North Africa, South East Europe the Middle East and Central Asia, compared to common buzzards they prefer more open habitats such as steppe, semi-desert and dry shrubland. They are generally specialised as hunters of small mammals and reptiles, and have been recorded following wildfires to catch displaced prey. 

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
SUBSPECIES: B. r. rufinus, B. r. cirtensis

 - Sighting Locations -

TURKEY  - Kızıl şahin("Red hawk")

 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - A single bird seen in the mountains near Side

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Haliaeetus ("Sea Eagle") leucocephalus ("white headed")

Adult Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) at Portage, Alaska, USA - August 2025

Featured Subspecies: Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus
Weight: 3-6.6kg  /  Length: 70-102cm  /  Wingspan: 1.8-2.3m
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

One of the most recognisable bird species on the planet, in large part due to it being the national bird of the USA and featured prominantly on a lot of it's iconography.  The bird itself however is perhaps less of an apex predator than it's hype would have you believe - a rather opportunistic feeder that will often feed on carrion or even landfill. A conservation success story - by the mid 20th century there were only 412 nesting pair in the Lower 48 as a result of shooting, pesticides such as DDT and other human caused deaths. With conservation measures, there are now believe to be over 71000 nesting pairs in the same area..

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Haliaeetus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA -Present everywhere but the High Tundra
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon

UNITED STATES - Found throughout most of the Lower 48 and Alaska
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and Alaska

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)

OTHER NAMES: Grasshopper Hawk, Locust Hawk
Latin Etymology: Buteo ("buzzard") swainsoni (named for William Swainson)

Adult light morph Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) at Alberta, Canada - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 500-1700g  /  Length: 43-56cm  /  Wingspan: 117-137cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A smaller buteo that breeds in the great plains and other open areas of North America.They hunt primarily small mammals and grasshoppers when seasonally available. Fairly tolerant of humans compared to many raptors, this particular individual was perched up inside of a town.  Swainson's Hawks are the longest distance migrant of any accipiter which can be over 7000miles and take 2 months. 

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA - Migrant breeder on Great Plains
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Alberta.

UNITED STATES - Migrant breeder in Centre and Westerly Lower 48 and an area of Alaska
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in North Dakota and Montana.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Buteo ("buzzard") platypterus ("broad winged")

Juvenile light morph Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) at McKee Marshes, Illinois - August 2024

Featured Subspecies: Buteo platypterus platypterus
Weight: 265-560g  /  Length: 32-44cm  /  Wingspan: 74-100cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small buteo species that breed mainly in deciduous forest and hunt in adjacent meadows and wetlands. They migrate in large groups which can be over 40 strong in a behaviour known as kettling which makes them a focus of hawkwatching during migration times. They are fairly adaptable predators who will take prey anywhere between the size of insects and grouse.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
SUBSPECIES: B. p. platypterus, B. p. brunnescens, B. p. cubanensis, B. p. insilicola, B. p. revierei, B. p. antillarum

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Breeds in Easterm US with patches of Wintering areas throughout.
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Illinois at several sites.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Buteo ("buzzard") regalis ("royal")

Adult Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) at Montana, USA - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 900-2200g  /  Length: 51-71cm  /  Wingspan: 122-158cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The largest species of Buteo in North America, and the second largest world wide, the Ferruginous Hawk is a species with a decidedly aquiline bearing. They breed in the Great Plains and Winter in the South West and into Mexico.  They primarily feed on small mammals of which there are wide diversity available across their range.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA -Breeds in the Sourthern parts of the Canadian Great Plains.
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Alberta.

UNITED STATES - Breeds in North West, Winters in South West with a resident population between.
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Glimpsed in North Dakota and Montana.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

OTHER NAMES: Pale Harrier
Latin Etymology: Circus (bird named for circling flight)  macrourus ("long-tailed")

Juvenile female Pallid Harrier (subspecies ) at Warham Greens, Norfolk - December 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 380g  /  Length: 40-48cm  /  Wingspan: 95-120cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

Breeding from Eastern Europe to the Steppes of Central Asia, the Pallid Harrier is the only European Harrier species to not regularly be found in the UK - the species gets its name from the pale silver grey of the males plumage. In structure it most resembles the Montagu's harrier but the plumage is much more subtly marked. While it is considered Nea Threatened globally, it does seem to be expanding its range to the West, with several pairs breeding in Western Europe in recent years for the first recorded time.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Circus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare vagrant
 - A wintering vagrant at Warham in December 2022

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

OTHER NAMES: Buzzard
Latin Etymology: Cathartes ("cleanser") aura (based on an indigineous Mexican name for species)

Adult Turkey Vulture (subspecies C. a. meridionalis) at Berkeley, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: Western Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura meridionalis)
Weight: 0.8-2.4kg  /  Length: 62-81cm  /  Wingspan: 160-183cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Turkey Vulture is a member of the New-World Vultures, a group that is evolutionarily distinct from the Vultures featured on this website to date, belonging to their own separate family. The Turkey vulture is probably the archetypal bird of this family, a large black bird with a bright red head which feeds on carrion. They were one of the commonest raptors we encountered on the trip, particularly in hilly areas where they were often thermaling.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Cathartidae
Genus: Cathartes
SUBSPECIES: C. a. aura, C. a. jota, C. a. meridionalis, C. a. ruficollis, C. a. septentrionalis

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found throughout the Lower 48 - Summer visitor to more Northern states, resident in the South
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Jose, Berkeley, Hayward and Big Sur

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)

OTHER NAMES: Chickenhawk, Big Blue Darter, Hen Hawk, Flying Cross, Quail Hawk
Latin Etymology: Accipiter ("to grasp") cooperii (named for William Cooper)

 Juvenile Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)  at San Jose, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 215-700g  /  Length: 36-51cm  /  Wingspan: 71cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A highly sex dimorphic species of hawk where the difference is so pronounced that there is only a comparatively minor overlap of proportions and weights between male and female birds, with the female being the larger. They feed almost exclusively on vertebrate prey, and unlike Sharp-shinned are much more likely to take terrestrial mammals. They are somewhat infamous as a species which can cause identification problems in the field if clear views aren't had compared to the smaller sharp-shinned.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Astur
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found throughout much of the Lower 48; Breeding only in Northmost states, Wintering only in Far South
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Jose

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

OTHER NAMES: Chickenhawk N/A

Latin Etymology: Accipiter ("to grasp") striatus ("striated")

Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk (subspecies A. s. velox) at San Francisco, California Septmeber 2022

Featured Subspecies: Accipiter striatus velox
Weight: 82-115g  /  Length:23-30cm  /  Wingspan: 42-58cm
NO UK STATUS/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small raptor with a similar ecological niche to Sparrowhawks in Eurasia - that of agile hunter of small birds through dense foliage.  They are however, unlike most sparrowhawks in Europe, notably migratory in much of their range, with the majority of the inland population of Canada migrating South to the Southern United Sates, Mexico and Central America.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Accipiter
SUBSPECIES: A. s. fringilloides, A. s. striatus, A. s. venator, A. s. perobscurus, A. s. velox, A. s. suttoi, A. s. madrensis

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found across most of the Lower 48 and Alaska
- CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Francisco

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Elanus ("kite") leucurus ("white-tailed")

Adult White-tailed Kite (subspecies E. l. majusculus) at Berkeley, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Elanus leucurus majusculus
Weight: 250-380g  /  Length: 35-43cm  /  Wingspan: 88-102cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A bird which reaches the very Northern edge of it's range at southern peripheraries of the United States, most of its range, which is found throughout much territory between there and the Northern edge of Patagonia. They are primarily rodent hunters, and, like is not uncommon for species specialising in that, they can cover to allow them to spot prey.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Elanus
SUBSPECIES: E. l. majusculus, E. l. leucurus

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found in coast adjacent parts of California, Texas, Oregon and Louisiana, and the Southern tip of Florida.
- CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)

OTHER NAMES: Ring-tailed Hawk
Latin Etymology: Circus (bird named for circling flight) hudsonius (of the Hudson Bay)

Adult male Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) in the Alberta, Canada - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 350-530g  /  Length: 43-58cm  /  Wingspan: 97-122cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Formerly considered a subspecies of the Hen Harrier, it is the only regularly occuring harrier species of North America and in actuality is more closely related to the Cinereous Harrier of South America than the Hen. Unlike the Hen Harrier in the UK, it is a very widely distributed species found at various times of the year from tundra to tropics.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Circus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA -Breeds throughout most of Country
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Alberta,

UNITED STATES  - Found throughout the Continental United States,
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen from moving car approaching South end of the Bay Area
- CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in North Dakota

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

OTHER NAMES: Redtail, Chickenhawk
Latin Etymology: Buteo ("buzzard") jamaicensis ("of Jamaica")

Two Adult Red-tailed Hawk (subspecies B. j. calurus) at San Jose, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Western Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis calurus)
Weight: 690-1370g  /  Length: 46-65cm  /  Wingspan: 105-141cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The most abundant of North America Raptors, the Red tailed hawk fills roughly the same ecological niche as the Common Buzzard - a very adaptable medium sized raptors that will both scavenge and take prey. They are found across every habitat found in the continental North America, limited in the North only by the end of the treeline and extending southwards to te tropics of Central America. They are a popular bird in falconry due to how common they are and being more trainable than almost all other raptors.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
SUBSPECIES: B. j. jamaicensis, B. j. alascensis, B. j.borealis, B. j. calurus, B. j. costaricensis, B. j. fueresi, B. j. fumosus, B. j. hadropus, B. j. harlani, B. j. kemsiesi, B. j. kriderii, B. j. socorreoensis, B. j. solitudinus, B. j. umbrinus

 - Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA
A common resident.
 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: One bird seen at San Gerardo de Dota

UNITED STATES 
Found across all Lower 48 and much of Alaska
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley, Monterey,San Jose, Hayward  and San Francisco

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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