Image via Macaulay Library
Broad-winged Hawk
- Scientific name
- Buteo platypterus
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Conservation status
- Least concern
- Habitat
- Forest mixed
- Wing shape
- Broad
- Tail shape
- Rounded
Where it came from
The Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) is a species of Buteo raptor native to the forests of North America. It was formally described by the French naturalist Louis-Jean-Pierre Vieillot in 1823. Its name reflects its distinctive physical build, characterized by broad, rounded wings and a short, banded tail, which are adaptations evolved for maneuvering through dense deciduous woodlands while hunting small mammals, amphibians, and insects.
The species is perhaps most famous among ornithologists and bird enthusiasts for its dramatic migratory behavior. During the autumn, these hawks congregate in large groups known as kettles, soaring on thermal currents as they travel from their breeding grounds in North America toward Central and South America. This annual migration has been a subject of significant scientific observation since the mid-20th century, providing essential data on raptor flight patterns and environmental health.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About Broad-winged Hawk
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