Harris's Hawk
Parabuteo unicinctus

Description 18-23" (46-76 cm). W. 3' 7" (1.1 m). A black, crow-sized hawk with chestnut shoulders and thighs, white on rump and base of tail, and white tail tip. Immatures similar but more streaked.

Voice A low, harsh hissing sound.

Habitat Semiarid regions in scrub with mesquite, cacti, and yucca.

Nesting 2-4 dull-white eggs, faintly spotted with brown, in a stick nest lined with grass, usually placed low in scrubby brush, cacti, or small trees.

Range Resident in southern Arizona, southeastern New Mexico, and southern Texas. Also in American tropics.

Discussion This strikingly marked hawk, normally tame and fearless, is often seen perched on a telephone or power pole along the highways of southern Texas, or flying slowly along searching for rabbits, quail, lizards, or snakes. Members of a pair or family group hunt cooperatively and share food. Harris's Hawk is occasionally observed on the ground feeding on carrion with vultures.

Seasonal Distribution