Bird Album
Common Black Hawk
Buteogallus anthracinus (Deppe, 1830)
43–53 cmLength975 gWeight
The common black hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and vultures.
Busiest months: March · Most records: Costa Rica, United States, Mexico
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: March · Most records: Costa Rica, United States, Mexico
Common Black Hawk has been recorded at 368 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 16 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Tárcoles – Tour en BoteCosta Rica4,417 records
- Cattle Landing – waterfrontBelize2,655 records
- Page Springs Fish Hatchery – Bubbling Ponds PreserveUnited States2,439 records
More places
- Asa Wright Nature CenterTrinidad & Tobago2,034 records
- PN Corcovado – Sector SirenaCosta Rica1,436 records
- Tranquilo Bay Eco-Adventure LodgePanama972 records
- Anza Trail – TubacUnited States915 records
- TortugueroCosta Rica704 records
- Blanchisseuse RoadTrinidad & Tobago630 records
- Ensenada Lodge [Área General]Costa Rica620 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The common black hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and vultures.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Common Black Hawk?
The Common Black Hawk is about 43–53 cm long and weighs around 975 g.
Where does the Common Black Hawk live?
Its breeding range: North America, Middle America, South America: southwestern USA to northwestern South America. It is most often recorded in Costa Rica, United States and Mexico.
When is the best time to see the Common Black Hawk?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in March (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the Common Black Hawk endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Common Black Hawk as Least Concern.
What does the Common Black Hawk eat?
Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.
What family is the Common Black Hawk in?
It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 43–53 cm
- Weight
- 975 g
- Habitat
- Woodland
- Diet
- Fish, shrimp & shellfish
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 355 mm
- Tail
- 206 mm
- Bill
- 40 mm
- Tarsus
- 79 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
North America, Middle America, South America: southwestern USA to northwestern South America
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
- Genus
- Buteogallus
Other birds in the genus Buteogallus
Slate-colored HawkButeogallus schistaceus
Cuban Black HawkButeogallus gundlachii
Rufous Crab HawkButeogallus aequinoctialis
Savanna HawkButeogallus meridionalis
White-necked HawkButeogallus lacernulatus
Great Black HawkButeogallus urubitinga
Solitary EagleButeogallus solitarius
Chaco EagleButeogallus coronatus
Pearl KiteGampsonyx swainsonii
Scissor-tailed KiteChelictinia riocourii
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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by world_lineage. ↗
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