White-throated Hawk
Buteo albigula
Locally fairly common summer breeder in temperate rainforests of southern Chile and adjacent Argentina; migrates north in March–April to winter in Andes from Bolivia to Venezuela, returning in September–October. Usually seen in flight over forest and edge, circling high or kiting motionless in the wind; rarely seen perched. Note dark head and clean white throat, diagnostic dark “armpits,” and rather flat-winged gliding with wingtips curled up slightly. Compare with immatures of the larger Variable and Rufous-tailed Hawks.
Identification
The white-throated hawk is 38 to 48 cm (15 to 19 in) long with an 84 to 102 cm (33 to 40 in) wingspan. Females are up to 20% larger than males and both sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a brownish black face and upperparts. Their tail has a dark brown upper surface and a grayish lower surface with up to 10 narrow dark bands. Their chin, throat, and underparts are white with brown streaking on the breast and belly and rufous barring on the thighs. Their eye is brown and their cere, legs, and feet yellow. Juveniles are similar to adults but with heavy blackish streaking on the breast and flanks, streaked cheeks, and buff thighs with brown bars.
Taxonomy
The white-throated hawk has at various times been considered a dubious taxon, a subspecies of short-tailed hawk (B. brachyurus), or a sister species with the short-tailed. None of these treatments are currently (2022) accepted. The white-throated hawk is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Buteo albigula
- Authority
- Philippi, 1899
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Buteo
Range and habitat
The white-throated hawk is found in the Andes from northwestern Venezuela south through Colombia and Ecuador into Peru and Bolivia and in central Chile and western Argentina. It inhabits humid montane forest, elfin forest, cloudforest and adjacent open landscapes such as puna grassland. In the northern part of its range it is found at elevations between 1,700 and 3,500 m (5,600 and 11,500 ft), in Patagonia between 1,000 and 2,000 m (3,300 and 6,600 ft), and in Chile from near sea level to 1,200 m (3,900 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The white-throated hawk is certainly migratory in the southern part of its range, moving north in the non-breeding season. Its behavior in its northern range is not well known. Some authors believe that all of the northern occurrences are by migrants from the south; others believe that at least in some northern areas they are year-round residents with some migrants from the south also present in the austral winter. The South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society lists it as a non-breeding visitor to Bolivia and Ecuador, hinting that it only passes through those countries in migration.<p>The white-throated hawk's hunting strategy has not been documented. Its diet has not been extensively studied but is known to include insects, rodents, and birds, the last as large as Magellanic woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus).<p>The white-throated hawk is known to breed only in Chile and Argentina, though there is limited evidence that it also breeds in parts of its northern range. Its breeding season spans from September at least to April. Pairs make undulating display flights. The nest is made of live and dead sticks and often is covered with lichen, and is placed 13 to 22 m (43 to 72 ft) above the ground. The clutch size is one or two eggs that are incubated mostly by the female. The incubation period is about one month and fledging occurs about 40 days after hatch. Males provision the female and young.<p>The white-throated hawk is thought to be mostly silent. It does make a "squealing 'kee-ah' during breeding season".
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Eastern Marsh Harrier
Circus spilonotus
A common patroller above reedbeds, flying with wings raised in a shallow V-shape. Adult males are predominantly pale gray with a dark-speckled head, blackish back with pale-edged feathers, and black wingtips. Adult females are brown and streaky and lack the bold white rump patch of the similar female Hen Harrier. Juveniles are brown with paler heads and breasts. Extremely similar to Western Marsh-Harrier, but range overlap is minimal.
Bare-throated Whistler
Pachycephala nudigula
A chunky, thick-billed songbird. Unmistakable male is olive-green above with yellow-tinged underparts, a jet black hood, and a diagnostic patch of loose bare red skin on throat. Dull female has a gray head, an olive back, a yellow underside, and a white throat. Juvenile resembles female, but has a yellow throat. Found singly in hill and montane forest in the Lesser Sundas. Female can be separated from female Rusty-breasted Whistler by the olive upperparts, solid yellow underparts, lack of any pink on the breast, and indistinct pale eye-ring. Loud, powerful song consists of strident whistled notes and includes imitations of crows, orioles, and other bird species. Highly variable sounds also include a car alarm-like “WEE-WOO-WEE-WOO.”
Long-tailed Finch
Poephila acuticauda
A small brownish bird with gray head, black throat, narrow black lores, very long black tail, and either a red bill (Northern Territory) or pale yellow bill (Western Australia). Note white rump in flight. Juveniles similar but duller, with dark bill. Compare with Masked Finch, which has black mask and lacks gray head. Inhabits grasslands and grassy woodlands across northwestern Australia.
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