White Hawk

White Hawk

Leucopternis albicollis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Tikal National Park
48 Verified sightings at Tikal National Park From 2019 to 2026
5,396 Verified sightings across all 49 parks From 2019 to 2026
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the White Hawk

The white hawk (Pseudastur albicollis) is a bird of prey breeding in the tropical New World of the family Accipitridae. Though it is commonly placed in the subfamily Buteoninae, the validity of this group is doubtful and currently under review.

The adult white hawk ranges from 46–56 cm (18–22 in) long with very broad wings and has a white head, body and underwings. The upper wings are black, and the very short tail is black with a broad white band. The bill is black and the legs are yellow.

The sexes are similar, but females are larger and heavier—840 g (1.85 lb) compared to the male's 650 g (1.43 lb). Immature birds have extensive black spotting on the upperparts and dark-streaked whitish underparts. The call of the white hawk is a plaintive kerwee.

There are four subspecies: Pseudastur albicollis ghiesbreghti – Southern Mexico to Nicaragua Entirely white, except for black markings on the outer primaries, and a black sub-terminal tail bar. The eyes are yellow. Pseudastur albicollis costaricensis – Honduras to Panama and Colombia.

Similar to ghiesbreghti but with more distinct black markings on the wings and tail. The eyes are brown. Pseudastur albicollis... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Tikal National Park

Roadside Hawk
LC

Roadside Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rupornis magnirostris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Plumbeous Kite
LC

Plumbeous Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ictinia plumbea

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
NT

Ornate Hawk-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizaetus ornatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Double-toothed Kite
LC

Double-toothed Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Harpagus bidentatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Short-tailed Hawk
LC

Short-tailed Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo brachyurus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
American Swallow-tailed Kite
LC

American Swallow-tailed Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Elanoides forficatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Gray-headed Kite
LC

Gray-headed Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leptodon cayanensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Hook-billed Kite
LC

Hook-billed Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chondrohierax uncinatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Gray-lined Hawk
LC

Gray-lined Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo nitidus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Black Hawk-Eagle
LC

Black Hawk-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizaetus tyrannus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Crane Hawk
LC

Crane Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Geranospiza caerulescens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Broad-winged Hawk
LC

Broad-winged Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo platypterus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Brownsberg Nature Park 🇸🇷 Suriname
~30%
2 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
3 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
4 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
5 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
6 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
~10%
7 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
8 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~10%
9 Canaima National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
~10%
10 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
11 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
12 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
13 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
14 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
15 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
16 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
17 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
18 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
19 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
20 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
21 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
22 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
23 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
24 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
25 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
26 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
27 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
28 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
29 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
30 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
31 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
32 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
33 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
34 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
35 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
36 Podocarpus National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
37 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
39 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
40 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
41 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
42 Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
43 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
44 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
45 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
46 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
Insufficient data
47 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
48 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
49 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a White Hawk in Tikal National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White Hawk sighting in Tikal National Park, based on 48 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see White Hawk in Tikal National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for White Hawk in Tikal National Park in our monthly data.

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