The common black hawk is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in many parts of North and South America. Identifying a common black hawk can be tricky for beginner birders, but there are some key characteristics to look for.
What does a common black hawk look like?
Adult common black hawks have blackish-gray plumage on their back and wings, with a black tail that has 2-3 white bands. Their chest is grayish with fine black barring. Their belly is white with heavy black barring that gives them a scaled look. Their head is also blackish-gray. Common black hawks have yellow eyes, legs and a yellow cere (the wax-like skin on the base of the beak). The tip of the beak is black.
Juvenile common black hawks have similar coloring but with a brownish wash over the plumage, brown eyes and less prominent barring on the belly. They can take several years to reach full adult plumage.
Common black hawks are stocky raptors with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. They range from 16-22 inches in length with a wingspan around 40 inches. Females are noticeably larger than males.
Where are common black hawks found?
Common black hawks have an extensive range across the Americas:
- In North America they are found from southwestern Canada through the western United States and Mexico, and into Central America.
- In South America they occur in scattered populations from Colombia and Venezuela south to Peru, Bolivia and central Argentina.
Within their broad range, common black hawks occupy a variety of habitats including forests, woodlands, swamps, mangroves, semi-open areas and even some suburban and urban locales. They typically frequent areas with large trees for nesting and hunting perches.
What do common black hawks eat?
Common black hawks are opportunistic predators that feed mainly on small birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, crabs and large insects. Less often they will eat small mammals like squirrels and bats. They hunt from high perches where they can scan for prey moving through vegetation below. Once spotted, they swoop down and snatch their target in their talons.
How do common black hawks hunt?
Common black hawks employ a variety of hunting techniques:
- Still-hunting: Perching and patiently waiting to ambush prey that comes into view.
- Low-flying gliding: Slowly cruising over habitat while looking for prey activity below.
- Soaring: Circling high on updrafts while scanning the ground for prey.
- Hovering: Flapping wings rapidly while suspended in one place to spot prey before dropping down on it.
They most frequently hunt by still-hunting, but will employ other techniques when needed. Common black hawks are agile, speedy flyers that can swiftly chase down prey once detected.
When and where do common black hawks nest?
Common black hawks nest in spring and summer, with pairing and courtship starting as early as March. They are monogamous and mate for life. Nests are large stick platforms lined with softer material like leaves, moss or grass. They are typically built high up in large trees, often in river valleys or wetland areas.
Nest sites are usually more than 60 feet up in trees such as pine, sycamore, Douglas fir and cypress. Common black hawks may reuse and renovate old nests from prior years. Both the male and female contribute to nest building.
The female lays 1-3 pale bluish-white eggs that are incubated mostly by her for about 5 weeks while the male provides food. Once hatched, the chicks remain in the nest for 6-7 weeks before fledging. The parents cooperate to feed and protect the young during this time.
What is the flight pattern and style of common black hawks?
Common black hawks have a very characteristic flight pattern and style:
- Slow, deep wing beats – Their broad wings allow them to fly powerfully at slower speeds.
- Straight, flat wing profile – Wings are held flat when gliding and soaring.
- Short, broad tail – The wide base provides stability and aids maneuverability.
- Low cruising flight – Typically fly low, at or below treetop level, when hunting.
- Slow speed graceful flight – Maneuver easily through forests at low speeds due to wing shape.
- Soaring ability – Take advantage of thermals and updrafts for long distance movement.
When flying, look for common black hawks’ distinct shape – broad based, short tailed, straight edged and long winged. Their low, graceful flight over forests is also a good clue to ID them.
What are key identification tips for common black hawks?
Here are some key points for identifying common black hawks:
- Overall blackish appearance with white-banded tail
- Heavy dark barring on white underbelly
- Broad, rounded wings and short, wide-based tail
- Large size – 16-22 inches long with 40 inch wingspan
- Yellow eyes and legs
- Slow, powerful wingbeats interspersed with gliding
- Low flight often at or below treetop level
- Found near water in wooded areas
- Nest high up in large tree
Taking note of these physical traits, flight style, preferred habitat and nesting behavior will help confirm you’ve spotted a common black hawk.
How can common black hawks be confused with other species?
There are a few other hawk species that may be mistaken for common black hawks:
- Zone-tailed hawk: Similar size and shape but has gray plumage with minimal barring. Found in overlapping range.
- Harris’s hawk: Smaller (15 inches) with more distinct chest barring. Limited overlap in SW US/Mexico.
- Broad-winged hawk: Smaller (13-17 inches) with longer tail and different wing/tail profile.
- Red-tailed hawk: Lacks heavy underbelly barring. Usually seen soaring, not low hunting flight.
Taking note of key ID points like size, plumage patterns, flight habits and range will help distinguish common black hawks from look-alikes.
Conclusion
Identifying common black hawks involves taking note of their distinctive physical features, flight pattern, habitat preferences and behavior. Key traits to look for are the blackish overall plumage with white-banded tail, heavy underbelly barring, broad wings and short tail, yellow eyes/legs, low forest hunting flight and large stick nests in trees. Being aware of similar species like zone-tailed hawks and paying attention to details like size and barring patterns will help properly ID common black hawks.