Roadside Hawk

Description:

The Roadside Hawk is 31–41 cm long. Males are about 20% smaller than females, but otherwise the sexes are similar. In most subspecies, the lower breast and underparts are barred brown and white, and the tail has four or five dark grey bars. It is fairly common to observe a touch of rufous (i.e., a light reddish-brown) on the bird's wings, especially when seen in flight. Its call is a very high-pitched piercing squeak. The eyes of adult Roadside Hawks are whitish or yellow. As suggested by its specific name (magni = large; rostri = beak), its beak is relatively large.

Habitat:

Caño Negro, Costa Rica.

Notes:

This specimen had caught a jacana and was eating it atop a tree. You can see one of the jacana's legs below the tree branch were the hawk is perched on the right side.