Harris' Hawk

Parabuteo unicinctus

Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

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)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Poás Volcano National Park

1 Verified sightings at Poás Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026

3,710 Verified sightings across all 32 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

Closest Relatives at Poás Volcano National Park

Buteo jamaicensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Buteo brachyurus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Buteo platypterus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Elanoides forficatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Spizaetus tyrannus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Leucopternis princeps

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Elanus leucurus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Buteo nitidus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Buteo swainsoni

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Spizaetus ornatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Rupornis magnirostris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Leucopternis albicollis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~40%
2	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
3	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
4	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
5	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
6	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
7	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
8	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
9	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
10	Nahuel Huapi National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
11	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
12	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
13	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
14	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
15	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
16	Cajas National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
17	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
18	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
19	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
20	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
21	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	Insufficient data
22	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
23	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
24	Lauca National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	Insufficient data
25	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
26	Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	Insufficient data
27	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
28	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
29	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
30	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
31	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
32	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data

← Back to Poás Volcano National Park

Harris' Hawk

About the Harris' Hawk

Recent sightings of Harris' Hawk in Poás Volcano National Park

Closest Relatives at Poás Volcano National Park

Red-tailed Hawk

Short-tailed Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

American Swallow-tailed Kite

Black Hawk-Eagle

Barred Hawk

White-tailed Kite

Gray-lined Hawk

Swainson's Hawk

Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Roadside Hawk

White Hawk

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found