Harris' Hawk
Parabuteo unicinctus
Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusParabuteo (White-rumped and Harris's Hawks)
- SpeciesParabuteo unicinctus (Harris' Hawk)
About the Harris' Hawk
Parabuteo unicinctus is a medium-large bird of prey that breeds from the southwestern United States south to Chile, central Argentina, and Brazil. It contains two subspecies, the Harris's hawk (P. u. harrisi) and the bay-winged hawk (P. u. unicinctus). The species is also occasionally referred to as the dusky hawk and known in Latin America as the peuco.
Harris's hawk is notable for its behavior of hunting cooperatively in packs consisting of tolerant groups, while other raptors often hunt alone. Harris's hawks' social nature has been attributed to their intelligence, which makes them easy to train and has made them a popular bird for use in falconry.
The name is derived from the Greek para, meaning beside, near or like, and the Latin buteo, referring to a kind of buzzard; uni meaning once; and cinctus meaning girdled, referring to the white band at the tip of the tail. John James Audubon gave this bird its English name in honor of his ornithological companion, financial supporter, and friend Edward Harris.
Robert Ridgway placed Harris's hawk in its own new subgenus Urubitinga (Antenor) in 1873, and introduced the generic name Parabuteo in 1874. Richard... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Harris' Hawk in Nahuel Huapi National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Nahuel Huapi National Park
Variable Hawk
Buteo polyosoma
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle
Geranoaetus melanoleucus
Cinereous Harrier
Circus cinereus
White-throated Hawk
Buteo albigula
Rufous-tailed Hawk
Buteo ventralis
White-tailed Kite
Elanus leucurus
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Andean Condor
Vultur gryphus
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Harris' Hawk in Nahuel Huapi National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Harris' Hawk sighting in Nahuel Huapi National Park, based on 44 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Harris' Hawk in Nahuel Huapi National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Harris' Hawk in Nahuel Huapi National Park in our monthly data.