It is a small hawk with short rounded wings. It has a pale-grey head with a brown body, and a striped brown-and-white chest and tail. There are 12 recognized sub-species which all have slight variations in appearance. They weigh between 250-300g and measure 33-41cm in length.
| Taxonomy | (Buteo magnirostris) |
| Spanish Name | Gavilan chapulinero |
| Conservation Status | Least concern |
| Distribution | Throughout most of Central and South America |
| Behavior | As suggested by their name, you can often see them near roads, perching on fence posts and on telephone wires. They are not a social species and so are usually seen alone. They have a distinctive shrill screech which is an easy way to identify them when perching. |
| Diet | They have quite a variable diet which includes insects, reptiles, small mammals and occasionally birds. |
| Reproduction | Roadside hawks are more territorial during breeding season and it is common to hear a wider variety of calls. They create compact nests using twigs, leaves and tree bark which can measure upto 46cm in diameter and 36cm deep. They lay 2 small eggs and incubate them for 37 days. |
| Threats | There are no documented threats on IUCN, except for the predation of their nests by humans. |
| At Alturas | Although it is not a common rescue, we have seen several throughout the years and often see them flying over the sanctuary and hear them while they are perching in nearby trees. |
Do you want to help birds fly back into the wild? The final phase of rehabilitation is going into a pre-release area to prepare for freedom. The birds in our care desperately need this for their successful release.
This website uses cookies to improve your user experience. Privacy Policy
Considering the ongoing developments of the coronavirus outbreak we have made the difficult decision to close our sanctuary to the public and therefore close our tours until June 16th 2020. We will review this decision as the situation continues to develop, so please continue to check our site and social media pages for updates. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
