White-necked Hawk

About the White-necked Hawk

The white-necked hawk (Buteogallus lacernulatus) is a Vulnerable species of bird of prey in the subfamily Accipitrinae, the "true" hawks, of family Accipitridae. It is endemic to Brazil. The white-necked hawk was for a time placed in genus Leucopternis but molecular studies placed it in Buteogallus. A 2009 paper proposed the new monotypic genus Amadonastur for it but this treatment has not been accepted by worldwide taxonomic systems. The white-necked hawk is monotypic.

The white-necked hawk is 43 to 48 cm (17 to 19 in) long with a 91 to 101 cm (36 to 40 in) wingspan. Males and females have the same plumage, though females are about 4% larger than males. Adults have a white head and underparts and black upperparts. Their tail is black with a wide white band in the middle. Their eye is brown or pale yellow and their legs and feed yellow. Immatures are similar to adults but with dark streaks on their crown and neck, brown tips on some upperparts feathers, and white barring on the black base of their tail.

The white-necked hawk is found discontinuously in southeastern Brazil from Paraíba south to Paraná state... Wikipedia →