Grey-backed Hawk (Pseudastur occidentalis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Grey-backed Hawk

Pseudastur occidentalis (Salvin, 1876)

660 gWeight

The grey-backed hawk (Pseudastur occidentalis) is a Vulnerable species of bird of prey in subfamily Accipitrinae, the "true" hawks, of family Accipitridae.

Busiest months: December–January and October · Most records: Ecuador

Vulnerable

Where and when it's recorded

Grey-backed Hawk has been recorded at 19 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Reserva Buenaventura – Umbrellabird Lodge and lower roadEcuador464 records
  2. Buenaventura ReserveEcuador445 records
  3. Ayampe – Ruta del ColibríEcuador228 records
More places
  1. Rancho AlemánEcuador204 records
  2. Reserva Jorupe y Urraca LodgeEcuador177 records
  3. Bosque Protector Cerro BlancoEcuador172 records
  4. Jama-Coaque ReserveEcuador144 records
  5. Reserva Rio CanandeEcuador30 records
  6. Rio Silanche Bird SanctuaryEcuador10 records
  7. Ayampe – Estuario del río AyampeEcuador6 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Ecuador

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 grey-backed hawk (Pseudastur occidentalis) is a Vulnerable species of bird of prey in subfamily Accipitrinae, the "true" hawks, of family Accipitridae. It is found in Ecuador and far northern Peru.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Grey-backed Hawk?

The Grey-backed Hawk weighs around 660 g.

Where does the Grey-backed Hawk live?

Its breeding range: South America: western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. It is most often recorded in Ecuador.

When is the best time to see the Grey-backed Hawk?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, October and December (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Grey-backed Hawk endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Grey-backed Hawk as Vulnerable.

What does the Grey-backed Hawk eat?

Main food: Vertebrate prey.

What family is the Grey-backed Hawk in?

It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.

At a glance

Weight
660 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Vertebrate prey
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Vulnerable
More measurements
Wing
346 mm
Tail
192 mm
Bill
36 mm
Tarsus
76 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

South America: western Ecuador and northwestern Peru

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
Genus
Pseudastur

Other birds in the genus Pseudastur

White HawkWhite HawkPseudastur albicollisMantled HawkMantled HawkPseudastur polionotusPearl KitePearl KiteGampsonyx swainsoniiScissor-tailed KiteScissor-tailed KiteChelictinia riocouriiWhite-tailed KiteWhite-tailed KiteElanus leucurusBlack-winged KiteBlack-winged KiteElanus caeruleusBlack-shouldered KiteBlack-shouldered KiteElanus axillarisLetter-winged KiteLetter-winged KiteElanus scriptusAfrican Harrier-HawkAfrican Harrier-HawkPolyboroides typusMadagascar Harrier-HawkMadagascar Harrier-HawkPolyboroides radiatus
Grey-backed Hawk

Download illustration

Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Nelson Apolo. ↗

WebP · 1070 px

Heard it but can't see it? Mingji identifies birds by sound and photo, on your phone.

In other languages